Ulu Pandan Park Connector in Clementi fully reopened following landslide in 2022

SINGAPORE – The Ulu Pandan Park Connector in Clementi was fully reopened on June 30 after a landslide that piled soil onto the pathway and into the canal in September 2022.

The Housing Board said on June 30 that it has completed reconstruction works to restore the damaged section of the park connector and strengthen the slopes on the western edge of the newly completed Clementi NorthArc Build-To-Order project, where nearly all the flats have been taken up.

HDB had reopened sections of the park connector in phases, with the final stretch initially due to be reopened in December 2023 before the date was pushed back.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann, who visited the site and joined residents for a morning workout on June 30, told reporters the reopened area covers the final 150m of the affected bank.

Facilities that had been planned at Clementi NorthArc were also opened, including a sheltered pavilion, a playground, fitness stations and a ramp leading to the park connector.

Ms Sim said the remaining precinct facilities for the project have been completed along with restoration and repair works.

“Our residents have been looking forward to being able to walk unimpeded along the Ulu Pandan Park Connector south bank, and now they can do so,” she added.

The park connector’s restoration is a relief to residents, especially those who enjoyed exercising along it. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

HDB said 98 per cent of 1,179 units at the six-block NorthArc estate have been taken up, and nearly all the residents have collected the keys to their new homes.

Commenting on the delay, Ms Sim said bad weather slowed the restoration works.

HDB previously said the site experienced unusually heavy rain in the second quarter of 2023 and in late 2023, and that it needed to ensure the site was stable enough before building facilities there.

HDB had also limited working hours – especially for noisy construction works – to avoid disturbing residents.

Ms Sim said the agencies carried out additional works to further strengthen the slope, to create a larger safety buffer.

Asked how a similar incident can be prevented, she said HDB has carried out checks to ensure that there are no risks to residential blocks here or to ongoing projects with a similar geography to that of Clementi NorthArc.

“This is something we placed a lot of priority on because we wanted to reassure soon-to-be residents of their safety,” she said.

The incident, which HDB described as a slope failure, occurred on Sept 2, 2022, at the western edge of the NorthArc construction site, resulting in a massive amount of earth sliding into the Sungei Ulu Pandan canal, damaging the park connector and raising concerns about flooding.

A passer-by had minor injuries in the incident.

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To prevent flooding, a channel was carved out in the displaced soil in the canal before it was eventually cleared.

HDB said that since then, its works had focused on stabilising and strengthening the slope by installing more soil retaining structures and anchors like long piles, and injecting more jet grout piles underground. It also repositioned some ramps and staircases to distribute the load on the slope more evenly.

The park connector was reopened in several phases, including the March 2023 opening of the north-facing side, after the soil had been removed and the canal restored to its original dimensions.

Soil spilt across the Sungei Ulu Pandan canal after a landslide near Clementi Avenue 6 on Sept 2, 2022. PHOTO: ST FILE

Thereafter, HDB’s contractor continued to build the BTO project’s amenities, such as a multi-purpose court and viewing points.

The park connector’s restoration comes as a relief for residents in the area, especially for those who enjoyed exercising along it.

Mr Chandramogan, 57, who goes by one name and works for a social services organisation, said residents had to cut through the estate to get around the pathway that was cordoned off for repair works.

He said: “The delays were understandable, (the repairs) were something we had got used to.

“At the end of the day I think the restoration is nice and very beautiful. I’ll definitely go for more walks.”

Residents walking along the barrier-free access ramp that leads to Ulu Pandan Park Connector on June 30. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Engineer Tan Kuan Khoon, 42, said he was satisfied with the repair works, but added that runners and brisk walkers will most likely have to look out for cyclists using the pathway again.

“The path is back to its previous state, so that’s good for the residents,” said Mr Tan.

“Most of us got used to the closure. There are a lot of alternative paths here, so it’s not the only place for us to run.”

Former industrial worker Sim Key Son, 78, who enjoys brisk walking around the area, said the pathway on the opposite bank was not as convenient as the route affected by the landslide as it was farther away and lacked shelter when it rained.

He said in Mandarin: “I got used to finding other routes for cycling or walking in the neighbourhood. But now that it’s back up, it’s much more convenient for us.”