Somerset MRT station

This article is about the Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore. For the SEPTA station in Philadelphia, United States, see Somerset station (SEPTA).

 NS23 
Somerset
索美塞
சாமர்செட்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Platforms of Somerset MRT station.
General information
Location1 Somerset Road
Singapore 238162
Coordinates1°18′1.85″N 103°50′20.50″E / 1.3005139°N 103.8390278°E / 1.3005139; 103.8390278
Operated bySMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)
  North–South Line
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus, Taxi
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Platform levels1
ParkingYes (Orchard Central, 313@somerset, Orchard Gateway)
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
History
Opened12 December 1987; 36 years ago (1987-12-12)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesKilliney[1]
Passengers
June 202429,381 per day[2]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Orchard
towards Jurong East
 North–South Line Dhoby Ghaut
towards Marina South Pier
Location
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Somerset
Somerset station in Singapore

Somerset MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the North–South Line in Orchard, Singapore. It is one of the three stations located along the popular shopping belt, Orchard Road.

The station connects to Comcentre, Singapore Power Building, Skate Park, 313@Somerset, Orchard Gateway, Orchard Central, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, Centrepoint Shopping Centre, Mandarin Orchard, The Heeren, Faber House, Orchard Point, Peranakan Place and Emerald Hill.

Opened in 1987, Somerset station was part of the early plans for the original MRT network since 1982. It was constructed as part of Phase I of the MRT network. Following the network's operational split, the station has been served by the North–South Line since 1989.

History

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Exit A of Somerset station.
Concourse level of the station.

The station was built as part of the first phase of construction of the MRT system.[3] Initially named Killiney, the station was renamed to its current name in November 1982 after Somerset Road, which runs above it.[1] In January 1984, a joint venture between Borie SAE, Cogefar SPA, Traylor Bros and Ong Chwee Kou Building Contractors secured Contract 106A, the S$39.2 million contract to build Somerset station,[4] since the joint venture was already handling construction of the tunnels adjacent to the station.[5]

To facilitate the station's construction, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) requisitioned the Ng Teow Yhee Building, which was located within the station site, in 1983,and Somerset Road was diverted in October 1984.[6] Somerset station was opened on 12 December 1987 as part of the extension of the MRT network from Toa Payoh to Outram Park.[7]

Construction of the lifts started on 28 June 2000 and were completed on 11 July 2002. Exit B of the station was heavily renovated from January 2007 to July 2009. An additional entrance, Exit D, was opened in conjunction with Orchard Gateway on 25 April 2014 along with Exit C which also connects to Orchard Gateway.[8]

Station details

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The station is located under Somerset Road and is near landmarks such as Orchard Central, 313@Somerset, Comcentre, the Centrepoint and 111 Somerset.[9] It is served by the North–South Line, between Orchard and Dhoby Ghaut stations, and has the station code NS23.[10]

Somerset station was designed to function as a bomb shelter, and was fitted out with blast doors and thick walls of reinforced concrete to withstand bomb impacts.[11] Plants grown with the aid of hydroponics were planted in the station for aesthetic purposes.[12]

Artwork

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The station has a wall mural by local artists Leo Hee Tong and Ho Ho Ying.[13] It was installed as part of the MRTC's S$2 million (US$3 million in 2022) commission of artworks at six MRT stations along the NSL.[14]

There is another mural as part of the heritage-themed Comic Connect Public art display by SMRT. Managed by Lola Liu and created by Anthong "Antz" Chong, Marianne "Marihadalittlesheep" Tan, Sarah Keydence, and Rene Foo[15] from the art school Visual Arts Centre and art group Playgroup Artists, the mural depicts landmarks in Somerset including the Sian Teck Tng temple, Killiney Road, and the Youth Park.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Station names will reflect their localities". The Straits Times. Singapore. 30 November 1982. p. 7. Retrieved 25 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  2. ^ "Land Transport DataMall". Datamall. Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  3. ^ "The first users". Singapore Monitor. Singapore. 7 December 1982. p. 6. Retrieved 25 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  4. ^ "MRT Corp awards two more contracts totalling $80m". Business Times. Singapore. 27 January 1984. p. 1. Retrieved 25 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ "Foreign-local group wins its second MRT contract". The Straits Times. Singapore. 27 January 1984. p. 14. Retrieved 25 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ Dhaliwal, Rav (20 October 1984). "Building on MRT site goes to URA". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 16. Retrieved 25 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. ^ "Retailers lay out the red carpet to tap the Great Orchard Rush". The Straits Times. Singapore. 12 December 1987. p. 2. Retrieved 25 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  8. ^ Kay Lim, Lesile (20 April 2014). "Orchard Gateway opens after the delay". Asia One.
  9. ^ "Somerset". smrt.com.sg. SMRT Corporation. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  10. ^ "MRT Network Map". journey.smrt.com.sg. SMRT Corporation. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  11. ^ Lim, Michael (4 October 1987). "Three MRT bomb shelters ready". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 2. Retrieved 26 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  12. ^ "Underground MRT stations to get touch of greenery". The Straits Times. Singapore. 16 December 1986. p. 16. Retrieved 26 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  13. ^ "On the ground and from the ceiling". The Straits Times. Singapore. 11 December 1987. p. 36. Retrieved 26 March 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  14. ^ Hoe, Irene (5 December 1987). "$2M Worth of Art for Six MRT Stations". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings – via NewspaperSG.
  15. ^ "Commuters & Communities". SMRT. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  16. ^ "6-somerset-jpg". SMRT. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
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