# North-South Corridor delay: Affected business to continue getting HDB rental rebates if eligible

- **Source:** Channel NewsAsia
- **Published:** 2026-10-06T04:01:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ang Hwee Min, Tang Jia Wen
- **Original:** https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/north-south-corridor-delay-business-support-hdb-6435021
- **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, Government & Policy

## Featured rationale

Prolonged construction disruption may continue suppressing customer traffic and tenant sentiment near affected sites, although rebates and surface restoration from 2028 could ease business pressures.

## AI summary

The North-South Corridor’s phased openings were delayed by two years to 2029 and 2031, while eligible affected HDB shops will continue receiving case-by-case rental rebates.

## Original article

SINGAPORE: Businesses in Housing and Development Board (HDB) rental shops that are most affected by the North-South Corridor delay will continue to receive rental rebates where there are grounds to do so, said Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow in parliament on Tuesday (Oct 6). Several Members of Parliament (MPs) had asked about the impact of the delay, and if additional financial support could be given to affected businesses and residents. "Several businesses in HDB rental shops most affected by the construction works have been receiving rental rebates on a case-by-case basis. HDB will continue to extend these rebates where there are grounds to do so," said Mr Siow. "But as a general principle, the government does not compensate stakeholders for project delays." Doing so would add significant upfront costs to these projects, since the government would have to insure against "multiple unknown scenarios", he added. "But that does not mean we are leaving businesses and residents to fend for themselves," he said. After the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced in September that the opening of the North-South Corridor will be delayed by two years due to unexpectedly challenging ground conditions, businesses near the North-South Corridor construction sites told CNA they were concerned about survival . The project was originally expected to cost S$7.47 billion (US$5.8 billion). Responding to questions about the costs of the delay, Mr Siow said that it would likely result in a higher project cost , reiterating what LTA said in September. Since LTA is still assessing the extent of permissible claims by contract, it cannot provide an updated project cost at this point and will do so later, he added.

TIMELINE FOR SURFACE WORKS The viaduct section, from Admiralty Road West to Lentor Avenue, is now expected to open in phases from 2029, instead of 2027 as previously announced. The tunnel section from Lentor Avenue to East Coast Parkway is now expected to open in phases from 2031, instead of 2029. Mr Siow noted that residents’ concerns about noise, dust and disamenities are generally caused by construction works on the surface. “I have asked LTA to prioritise the completion of surface works, so that surface conditions start to improve from next year onwards,” he said. Most of the major structural works that create the most noise and dust should be completed by the end of 2027, he added. After that, LTA will reinstate roads, footpaths and other affected spaces from 2028. For example, the surface for Lentor Avenue and Sembawang Road should be fully restored by mid-2028, said the transport minister. “I have also asked LTA to pay particular attention to businesses along the construction route,” he added. Changes to pedestrian routes or road access affect customer traffic for neighbourhood businesses, he said, adding that LTA has installed signs and banners to guide customers to affected businesses. When surface works are completed, many access routes for pedestrians will be restored as a priority, said Mr Siow. LTA will also try to introduce more direct walking routes to shops and food and beverage outlets to make it easier for customers to reach them, he added. " We will do everything in our power to ease the friction on the ground. At the same time, I ask for your understanding to give our engineers and workers the time and space required to complete the remaining works safely," he said.

MPs also asked supplementary questions about how the delay was communicated and for location-specific updates. With different location-specific timelines, MP Denise Phua (PAP-Jalan Besar) asked if LTA could invest more in communicating specific timelines for when roads would be restored and diversions lifted. Businesses and residents are affected differently, she added, calling for location-specific support measures. While the two-year delay "only became clearer progressively", people who work and live along the corridor need to plan their schedules and businesses, said MP Yip Hon Weng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang). "Could the minister explain what considerations led LTA to wait until the overall delay can be quantified before informing stakeholders, rather than alerting them earlier that the existing timeline was at material risk?" he asked. LTA announced the delay "as soon as practicable", as engineers first had to ascertain its impact, Mr Siow replied. The priority was initially to find solutions and recover time safely, but the risks eventually proved too great, resulting in the delay, he added. LTA will try to beef up communications on the ground and ensure that information provided is timely, accurate and relevant, he added. Mr Siow also said improved sensors would give authorities a better understanding of underground conditions over time, and hopefully ensure that such variances "do not surprise us as often in the future". MP Lee Hui Ying (PAP-Nee Soon) asked what indicators the transport ministry would use to assess the effectiveness of existing measures to minimise the impact on residents, particularly in terms of pedestrian safety and noise. While there were objective indicators such as noise measurements, Mr Siow said "the most relevant indicator" was feedback from residents and businesses on the ground. LTA will work closely with them and grassroots advisers to gather feedback and make adjustments based on the circumstances at each location, he said.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: openai_codex_cli

### 南北交通廊道延误：受影响商家若符合条件将继续获得HDB租金回扣

交通部长萧俊杰表示，政府不会让受影响的商家和居民自行应对。

新加坡：交通部长萧俊杰周二（10月6日）在国会表示，受南北交通廊道延误影响最严重的建屋发展局（HDB）出租店铺商家，在有理由这样做的情况下，将继续获得租金回扣。数名国会议员询问了延误的影响，以及是否可向受影响商家和居民提供额外财政支持。“受施工工程影响最严重的几家HDB出租店铺商家，一直按个案获得租金回扣。在有理由这样做的情况下，HDB将继续提供这些回扣，”萧俊杰说。“但作为一般原则，政府不会因项目延误向利益相关者作出赔偿。”他补充说，这样做会显著增加这些项目的前期成本，因为政府将不得不为“多种未知情景”投保。“但这并不意味着我们会让商家和居民自行应对，”他说。陆路交通管理局（LTA）9月宣布，由于地质条件出乎意料地具有挑战性，南北交通廊道开通将延迟两年；此后，南北交通廊道工地附近的商家告诉CNA，他们担心生存问题。该项目原本预计耗资74亿7000万新元（58亿美元）。在回应有关延误成本的问题时，萧俊杰重申LTA在9月所说的话，表示这很可能导致项目成本上升。他补充说，由于LTA仍在按合约评估可获准索赔的范围，目前无法提供更新后的项目成本，将在之后公布。

地面工程时间表 从海军部西路到伦多道的高架桥路段，目前预计从2029年起分阶段开通，而不是此前公布的2027年。从伦多道到东海岸公园大道的隧道路段，目前预计从2031年起分阶段开通，而不是2029年。萧俊杰指出，居民对噪音、灰尘和不便设施的担忧，通常由地面施工工程造成。“我已要求LTA优先完成地面工程，使地面状况从明年起开始改善，”他说。他补充说，产生最多噪音和灰尘的大部分主要结构工程应在2027年底前完成。之后，LTA将从2028年起恢复道路、人行道和其他受影响空间。交通部长表示，例如伦多道和三巴旺路的地面应在2028年年中前全面恢复。“我也要求LTA特别关注施工路线沿线的商家，”他补充说。他表示，行人路线或道路通行的变化会影响邻里商家的客流，并补充说LTA已安装标识和横幅，引导顾客前往受影响商家。萧俊杰表示，地面工程完成后，许多行人通行路线将作为优先事项恢复。LTA也将尝试引入更多直达商店和餐饮场所的步行路线，让顾客更容易抵达。他说：“我们将尽一切能力缓解现场摩擦。同时，我也请大家理解，给予我们的工程师和工人所需的时间和空间，以安全完成剩余工程。”

国会议员也就延误如何沟通以及特定地点的更新提出补充问题。由于各地点时间表不同，白沙—惹兰勿刹集选区行动党议员潘丽萍询问，LTA是否可投入更多资源，沟通道路何时恢复、改道何时取消的具体时间表。她补充说，商家和居民受到的影响各不相同，并呼吁采取针对特定地点的支持措施。杨益宏议员（行动党—义顺集选区）表示，虽然两年延误“只是逐步变得更清楚”，但在交通廊道沿线工作和生活的人需要规划自己的日程和业务。“部长能否解释，是哪些考量让LTA等到整体延误可以量化后才通知利益相关者，而不是更早提醒他们现有时间表存在重大风险？”他问。萧俊杰回应说，LTA是在“切实可行的最早时间”宣布延误，因为工程师首先必须确定其影响。他补充说，最初的优先事项是寻找解决方案并安全追回时间，但风险最终被证明过大，导致延误。他补充说，LTA将尝试加强现场沟通，并确保所提供信息及时、准确和相关。萧俊杰也表示，改进后的传感器将让当局随着时间推移更好地了解地下条件，并有望确保此类差异“未来不会如此频繁地让我们措手不及”。李慧玲议员（行动党—义顺集选区）询问，交通部将使用哪些指标来评估现有措施在减少对居民影响方面的有效性，尤其是在行人安全和噪音方面。萧俊杰表示，虽然有噪音测量等客观指标，但“最相关的指标”是现场居民和商家的反馈。他说，LTA将与他们及基层顾问密切合作，收集反馈，并根据各地点的情况作出调整。