The revamped Rochor Canal was officially opened on Sunday by guest of honour Denise Phua, Mayor of Central Singapore District and Adviser to Moulmein-Kallang GRC.
The 1.1km-long stretch between Jalan Besar and Crawford Street was transformed into a vibrant waterway that integrates seamlessly with existing residential and commercial developments.
An urban promenade now runs along the canal, offering residents enhanced connectivity to surrounding enclaves like Bugis, Kampong Glam, Jalan Besar and Bencoolen, as well as the Lavender MRT station.
In addition, this section of the canal was deepened and widened to improve drainage capacity.
52-year-old John Yeo, a resident who has been living nearby for the past 30 years, said: “As a young man, I remember the river was narrow, smelly and littered with rubbish. Through the years, the state of the river has gradually improved and today, I enjoy strolling along the clean and beautiful river, interacting with my fellow neighbours.”
PUB has also put in an extensive collection of eleven rain gardens that treat rainwater runoff using specially-selected plants and soil media before it is discharged into the waterway.
“As Rochor Canal is one of five waterways that flows into the Marina Reservoir, we will be working with the residents and stakeholders on how they can play an active role in taking ownership of this canal and helping to keep the waterway clean and free of litter,” noted Tan Nguan Sen, PUB’s Chief Sustainability Officer.
The $48 million project under PUB’s Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme took more than three-and-a-half years to complete.
Image: Residents now enjoy better connectivity to surrounding areas like Bugis and Kampong Glam. (Photo by PUB)
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Singapore Editor at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
