SINGAPORE: Tanjong Pagar GRC and Radin Mas SMC are set for a facelift under a five-year rejuvenation plan that will introduce more green spaces, sheltered walkways and pedestrian-friendly streets. 

The plan was unveiled on Sunday (Feb 2) at Redhill Market, where Tanjong Pagar Town Council chairman and Radin Mas MP Melvin Yong launched an exhibition showcasing the upcoming improvements.

The five-year plan is part of the Remaking Our Heartland Programme. Under this initiative, all six divisions of Tanjong Pagar town – Buona Vista, Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru, Moulmein-Cairnhill, Queenstown, Henderson-Dawson and Radin Mas – will receive upgrades.

The rejuvenation plan was shaped through months of community engagement and will guide improvements until 2030, according to a press release from the town council. 

KEY UPGRADES

More green corridors and pedestrian-friendly streets will be introduced, creating a more walkable and sustainable environment for residents. Additional sheltered walkways and ramps will improve accessibility throughout the town.

At the same time, upgraded roads and enhanced public transport nodes will improve connectivity to other parts of Singapore. Those opting for sustainable transport will benefit from increased electric vehicle charging stations and additional bicycle racks.

All 156 Housing and Development Board (HDB) car parks in Tanjong Pagar town will be equipped with EV charging points by the end of this year. 

The town will also cut down on energy use by progressively switching to LED smart lights that use up to 60 per cent less energy, installing Elevator Energy Regeneration Systems that cut elevator energy consumption by about 20 per cent, and using data to optimise the estates' electricity usage. 

Up to 58,000 solar panels will be installed on HDB rooftops across Tanjong Pagar town by 2030, with surplus energy fed back into the power grid.

More specialised recycling facilities will be rolled out across the town, including those for e-waste and used cooking oil. The food digester machine, which converts food waste into compost, has already been trialled at Redhill Market and Tanjong Pagar Plaza, with plans to expand the initiative to other hawker centres.

PRESERVING HERITAGE

Other than Radin Mas MP Mr Yong, also present at the launch of the town's rejuvenation plan were MPs for Tanjong Pagar GRC - Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Social and Family Development Eric Chua, and Ms Joan Pereira. The MPs officially launched the five-year plan while commemorating the completion of the Redhill Neighbourhood Renewal Programme. As part of the event, the MPs watched performances at Redhill Market, participated in a calligraphy segment and engaged with residents.

Mr Yong said in a press release on Sunday that as the town modernises, efforts will also be made to retain each neighbourhood's heritage.

For example, in Bukit Merah, heritage-related projects will transform the area into a "living museum".

“As new HDB BTO (Build-to-Order) flats are built in Tanjong Pagar town, we must ensure that our longtime residents have new amenities to look forward to," he said. 

"We will refresh our mature HDB blocks and focus on enhancing our community spaces so that our new and longtime residents can interact and bond with each other.” 

Over the next five years, key upgrading programmes – including the Repair and Redecoration Programme, Home Improvement Programme and Lift Enhancement or Replacement Programme – will continue to be rolled out, the town council said.