Is its current "life" numbered?

The high ceiling of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station's main terminal building.

Announced late last year, the Circle Line subway will finally become a complete circle with 3 new stations added. One of the three stations will be located in close proximity to the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. The proximity is so closed to each other that part of the station's 430 meters platforms will be affected. Of course this naturally sparked some debate on its various impact to the station that was built in 1932.

The question that appeared in my mind was this: "How long more will the railway station, in its current state, be kept opened for public access during certain public holidays? Are its days numbered?" The future of the railway station will definitely be promising when we take a look at how our heritage buildings around the island have been transformed with new life injected into it.

I'm not sure exactly how the railway station will be affected during the construction of the new subway line, and the exact future of this railway station. I think there're some renderings regarding to the possibilities of the railway station together with the subway station. Regardless of it, the subway line is estimated to be completed by 2025. With this date set, construction most likely would have to begin soon, or possibly already had began.

After the trains left in 2011 and the station reopened to the public during certain days since 2012 (I think), a certain new lease of life has slowly set in. I'm not sure how many more years are left for this certain "lease of life" to continue its growth. I'm not sure whether there's enough time to let this new "lease of life" set in and having it becoming the "way of life" for the railway station. I'm not sure whether a disruption is on its way to destroy this fragile but definitely growing "life".

Regardless of what the future holds, I shall believe that the relevant decision makers have the good of the community in mind. And before the possibility of any appearance of any devastating news of temporary closure due to whatsoever construction works, let's just enjoy whatever that's left of this railway station since the trains left in 2011.



View it slightly larger: Click on the photograph
Taken in: March 2016 | Time: Daytime, Indoors
Photograph size above: 800 pixels (longer side)