Reclamation works in Woodlands not likely to adversely impact Mandai habitats

Resulting changes in water flow could be ecologically beneficial in long run: JTC, ICA

- Ariel Yu

Reclamation works planned for the Woodlands area to expand the border checkpoint are unlikely to have a negative impact on the habitats in the neighbouring Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat.

Instead, changes in the water flow as a result of the reclamation could even increase the number of mangrove plants that settle around the reclamation site, said industrial developer JTC Corporation and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

If the seedlings of mangrove trees from Mandai can grow and populate the adjacent areas, this could be ecologically beneficial in the long run, said the authorities, citing the results of an environmental impact assessment done by JTC ahead of the development works.

JTC and ICA were responding to queries from The Straits Times, following an ST report on March 17 about how land will be reclaimed on both sides of the Causeway to expand the Woodlands Checkpoint.

The aim is to reduce the average clearance time for all vehicles from 60 minutes to 15 minutes during peak periods. Some 300,000 travellers cross the border each day.

The reclamation works, which will be scaled back from initial plans to reduce the environmental impact, are tentatively scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2024 and be completed by 2029.

The authorities had originally wanted to reclaim 30.2ha of land on the eastern side of the Causeway, and 36.4ha of land on the western side. This has been reduced to about 10ha on the eastern end and 34ha on the western side.

The reclamation on the western part is next to the Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat, a habitat rich in wildlife such as molluscs, crustaceans and worms that was designated a nature park by the National Parks Board (NParks) in 2022.

The mudflat is located about 3km away from Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, one of Singapore's four nature reserves.