:Potong Pasir MRT station

File:NE10 Potong Pasir MRT platforms 20201201 162036.jpg

File:NE10 Potong Pasir Concourse 20200830 170255.jpg

In the planning stages of the NEL, it was confirmed by then-Communications Minister Mah Bow Tan in 1995 that the line will pass through the Potong Pasir constituency, then an opposition ward. However, he added that the line would not stop in the constituency as it would not be economically viable. Citing a feasibility study by consultants for the line, he explained that without a station in Potong Pasir, it will reduce costs for the NEL by about S$1 million (US${{ToUSD|1|Singapore|year=1995}} million) annually.{{cite news |last1=Peck Ming |first1=Chuang |title=MRT line to go through Potong Pasir |work=Business Times |date=8 August 1995 |pages=2}} This was refuted by then Potong Pasir Member of Parliament (MP) Chiam See Tong, who said it would become a "strong station" once there are developments around it.{{cite news |title=Chiam to send petition to minister on N-E MRT line |work=The Straits Times |issue=11 November 1995|page=33|quote= "With the improvement of its surroundings due to the presence of an MRT station, it will become a strong station," he (Chiam) said.}}

When the 16 NEL stations were revealed in March 1996, Potong Pasir station was announced as "Sennett" and it was only to be built when its surroundings have been "developed intensely".{{cite news |title=Residents in N-E corridor happy with station sites |work=The Straits Times |date=6 March 1996 |page=16}} The residents of Potong Pasir "took in their stride" upon learning of the station's status and alleged that this was due to its location in an opposition constituency.{{cite news |title=Senett or Potong Pasir: 2 views |work=The Straits Times |date=6 March 1996 |page=17}}

There were claims that the station (along with Woodleigh, another station in Potong Pasir) would only be opened if a People's Action Party (PAP){{efn|The ruling party of Singapore}} candidate managed to secure the constituency. In the 1997 Singapore general elections, PAP candidate Andy Gan had promised residents he would push for the earlier construction of the MRT stations (Potong Pasir and Woodleigh) with the backing of then-deputy prime minister Lee Hsien Loong and other PAP MPs.{{cite news |title=Residents urged to replace Chiam with a new MP |work=The Straits Times |date=2 January 1997|page=26}}{{cite news |title=MRT stations will be built, Chiam assures residents |work=The Straits Times |date=25 December 1996|page=18}} In response to his opponents' comments, Chiam said that the PAP was trying to "politicise" the MRT issue and he believed that the MRT stations would still be opened, as the land had been acquired for their construction. Then prime minister Goh Chok Tong, who had earlier supported Gan's plans for the MRT construction and said he had the "judgement call" for when they were going to be built, later said that there was "no guarantee" the constituency will get the MRT station even if the PAP secures the constituency during the 2001 Singaporean general elections.{{cite news |title=MRT in Potong Pasir if PAP wins? |work=The Business Times |date=27 October 2001 |page=3}}

Eventually, it was announced by then Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong in February 2002 that the station will be opened with the other NEL stations and the name was finalised as Potong Pasir. Yeo insisted the decision was "based strictly on ridership levels" through a recent review by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on projected ridership levels for the NEL stations. The government had denied that the station's opening was related to PAP's bigger share of votes in the 2001 general elections.{{cite news |title=MRT trains to stop at Potong Pasir after all |work=The Straits Times |date=28 February 2002|page=1}}{{cite news |last1=Boon Yian |first1=Ng |title=MRT's next stop: Potong Pasir |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/today20020228-2.2.2.2 |work=Today |date=28 February 2002 |page=1 |access-date=1 December 2020 |archive-date=2 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902013602/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/today20020228-2.2.2.2 |url-status=live }}

Contract 705 for the design and construction of the Boon Keng and Potong Pasir two-level civil defence underground stations, {{convert|1.8|km|miles}} of twin bored tunnels and {{convert|280|m|feet}} of cut and cover tunnels, was awarded to Kumagai Gumi-Sembawang Engineering-Mitsui Joint Venture at a contract value of S$217 million (US${{ToUSD|217|Singapore|year=1997}} million).{{cite news |title=Kumagai Gumi wins $217 million MRT contract |work=Business Times |date=11 July 1997|page=2}}{{sfn | Leong |2003 | p=147}} Initially, the station was planned to be just a "shell station", but it was decided to build the whole station as it would be more expensive for the station to be fitted later.{{sfn | Leong |2003 | p=143}}

The station was constructed using the top-down method. The construction works required the acquisition of a row of shophouses along Upper Serangoon Road.{{sfn | Leong |2003 | p=144}} During the construction, residents had complained about the noise generated from the site, which the LTA Corporate Communications Department answered promptly by giving residents explanations on the works.{{sfn | Leong |2003 | p=143, 147}}

The station commenced operations on 20 June 2003.{{cite web |title=North East Line Opens for Passenger Service! |url=http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_new_content.asp?start=44 |website=www.lta.gov.sg |archive-url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/webarchives/2007-12-03%2014:06:14.000/wp/details/http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_new_content.asp?start=44 |archive-date=3 December 2007 |date=20 June 2003 |url-status=dead}} Commenting on its opening, Chiam has said it was "not so much a victory for me as a victory for the people of Potong Pasir." Chiam's rival, Sitoh Yih Pin, has mentioned he was "happy for the residents as they will benefit from the convenience." He mentioned that he had urged the Senior Minister of State for Transport to consider its opening, despite the PAP's loss in the 2001 elections. The residents has also welcomed the station's opening, for it would bring more visitors and businesses to the area.{{cite news |title=Next stop: Potong Pasir station... finally |work=The Straits Times |date=20 June 2003|page=6}}

File:NE10 Potong Pasir Exit A 20200830 170544.jpg

As the name suggests, Potong Pasir station is located in Potong Pasir underneath Upper Serangoon Road.{{cite web | title=Potong Pasir MRT Station (NE10) | website=Google Maps | url=https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/Potong+Pasir+MRT+Station+(NE10)/@1.3312371,103.8665782,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x31da17d856355261:0x1c6aa4de1f61d9a8!8m2!3d1.3312317!4d103.8687722 | access-date=2 December 2020 | archive-date=6 December 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206073638/https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/Potong+Pasir+MRT+Station+(NE10)/@1.3312371,103.8665782,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x31da17d856355261:0x1c6aa4de1f61d9a8!8m2!3d1.3312317!4d103.8687722?shorturl=1 | url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Potong Pasir MRT station |url=https://share.onemap.sg/OyEthz |website=Onemap |access-date=11 January 2021 |archive-date=11 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111013007/https://www.onemap.sg/main/v2/?lat=1.33137949021367&lng=103.869055656782 |url-status=live }} The name Potong Pasir means "cut sand" in Malay, referring to the former activities of sand quarries in the area.{{sfn | Savage | 2013 | p=297}}

Before its construction, the station had "Sennett" as its working name. Sennett was taken from former British Commissioner of Lands C.W.A Sennett, who was also a land and housing developer.{{sfn | Savage | 2013 | p=339}} According to then PAP's second advisor to Potong Pasir Andy Gan, Sennett had a "better historical standing" and reminds residents of the area of their "past glory". The name was also seen as controversial, seen as a measure by the government to not "remind people that (the station) is (located) in an opposition stronghold".{{cite news |title=Sennett station name "wrong" |work=The Straits Times |date=28 October 2001|page=25}} The name was eventually finalised as "Potong Pasir" in February 2002.

The station is near landmarks such as the Potong Pasir Community Club, Masjid Alkaff (Upper Serangoon), the Muslim Trust Fund Association, the Sri Sivadurga Temple and the St. Andrews' Village which includes the schools of St. Andrew's Junior College, St. Andrew's Junior School and the St. Andrew's Secondary School. It also serves the residential properties of the Nin Residence, Saint Ritz, the Sennett Estate and the Sennett Residence, in addition to the Potong Pasir Estate.{{cite web | title=Train Service Information | website=SBSTransit | url=https://www.sbstransit.com.sg/Service/TrainInformation?TrainLine=NEL&Station=PTP | access-date=2 December 2020 | archive-date=6 December 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206073640/https://www.sbstransit.com.sg/Service/TrainInformation?TrainLine=NEL&Station=PTP | url-status=live }} It is also situated next to the retail development of the Poiz Centre.{{cite web | website=The Poiz | title=Directions | url=http://thepoizcentre.com.sg/direction.html | access-date=2 December 2020 | archive-date=30 April 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200430224713/http://thepoizcentre.com.sg/direction.html | url-status=live }}

The station serves the North East line and is situated between the Boon Keng and Woodleigh stations. The station code is NE10 on official maps.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltagov/getting_around/public_transport/rail_network/pdf/sm-20-03-en-exp.pdf|title=MRT System Map|last=|first=|date=|website=www.lta.gov.sg|publisher=Land Transport Authority (LTA)|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821064838/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltagov/getting_around/public_transport/rail_network/pdf/sm-20-03-en-exp.pdf|archive-date=21 August 2020|access-date=23 August 2020}} The station operates daily from about 6:00{{nbsp}}am to 12:15{{nbsp}}am.{{cite web | title=First Train/ Last Train | website=SBSTransit | date=2 June 2020 | url=https://www.sbstransit.com.sg/first-train-last-train | access-date=2 December 2020 | archive-date=28 November 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128080621/https://www.sbstransit.com.sg/first-train-last-train | url-status=live }} Train frequencies vary from 2.5 to 5 minutes depending on peak hours.{{cite web | title=Transport Tools – MRT/LRT | website=www.lta.gov.sg |publisher=Land Transport Authority (LTA) |date=6 May 2020 | url=https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/map/train.html | access-date=19 June 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101093932/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/map/train.html | archive-date=1 November 2019 | url-status=live }}

File:NE10 Potong Pasir MRT Art-in-Transit 20201026 162158.jpg

Commissioned as part of the MRT system's Art-in-Transit Programme,{{efn|Public art showcase which integrates artworks into the MRT network}} Point of View by Matthew Ngui is a series of anamorphic images and text displayed all around the station. These texts and images, or according to the artist the "macro view of the images with the microcosmic perspective of the text", gives the work aesthetic interest and depth.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Getting Around {{!}} Public Transport {{!}} A Better Public Transport Experience {{!}} Art in Transit|url=https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around/public_transport/a_better_public_transport_experience/art_in_transit.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421081559/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around/public_transport/a_better_public_transport_experience/art_in_transit.html|archive-date=21 April 2020|access-date=11 July 2020|website=www.lta.gov.sg|publisher=Land Transport Authority (LTA)}}{{sfn | Tan | 2003 | p=110}} The seven images include a row of Housing Development Board (HDB) apartments displayed along a passageway, a tree at the north side of the concourse and a bus stop at the south side of the concourse. On the platforms, there are four images of clocks set at various times of day (morning, midday, evening and night) alongside some texts. These images were chosen to represent daily life.{{sfn | Tan | 2003 | p=110}}

When starting out on the work, the artist considered heavily on LTA's call for "an intriguing work that would engage the community". Ngui wished to engage the public in a purposeful way, by allowing various members of the public to contribute text and images for the work.{{sfn | Tan | 2003 | p=111}} The artist still focussed on certain subject matters that would be relevant to people of various ages. For example, the tree image represents growth for the youth. For the text fragments, Ngui had urged the participants to write about issues "closest to them" so as to produce text relevant to the masses.{{sfn | Tan | 2003 | p=113}} These texts were then converted into graffitied words. Putting the work together, three supporting features were employed – explanation panels, video images played on the plasma screens and granite floor pointers from which it is best to view the images. Reflecting on the work, the artist said that this work "creates something that does not look like what it is" until it "resolves itself" when viewed from a certain point of view. He felt it was an interesting art piece "with a serious side", for people to interpret what they wanted.{{sfn | Tan | 2003 | p=113}}

• A: Potong Pasir Estate
• B: Masjid Alkaff (Upper Serangoon), Muslim Trust Fund Association, Nin Residence, Saint Ritz, Sennett Estate, Sennett Residence
• C: Potong Pasir Community Club, Sri Sivadurga Temple, St. Andrew's Junior College, St. Andrew's Junior School, St. Andrew's Secondary School, The Poiz Residences

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book | last=Leong |first=Chan Teik | location=Singapore | title=Getting there : The story of the North East Line | publisher=Land Transport Authority (LTA) | year=2003 | isbn=981-04-5886-X | oclc=53383062}}
• {{cite book | last=Tan | first=Su | title=Art in transit : North East Line MRT - Singapore | publisher=Land Transport Authority | publication-place=Singapore | year=2003 | isbn=981-04-7384-2 | oclc=52771106}}
• {{cite book | last=Savage | first=Victor | title=Singapore street names: A study of toponymics | publisher=Marshall Cavendish Editions | publication-place=Singapore | year=2013 | isbn=978-981-4408-35-6 | oclc=868957283}}

• [http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/nel/trpt_nel_systemdetail.asp?statcode=NE14 Official website]
• {{commons category-inline|Potong Pasir MRT Station}}

{{Singapore MRT stations|north-east=yes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Potong Pasir MRT station}}

Category:Railway stations in Singapore opened in 2003

Category:Railway stations in Serangoon

Category:Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) stations