Boon Keng MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the North East Line in Kallang, Singapore.
Located underneath Serangoon Road just after the traffic junction with Towner Road and Boon Keng Road, Boon Keng station primarily serves the Boon Keng subzone and more importantly the residents residing in the area. Other than the HDB dwellers, residents of condos such as Eight Riversuites, Regent Residences and The Arcady at Boon Keng also benefited greatly from the convenience. The station was named after Lim Boon Keng, a Chinese physician who promoted health and educational reforms in Singapore.
The North East Line (NEL) project, which was first proposed in 1984, received government approval in January 1996. Boon Keng station was among the sixteen NEL stations announced by communications minister Mah Bow Tan that March.
The contract for the design and construction of Potong Pasir and Boon Keng stations and associated tunnels was awarded to the joint venture of Kumagai Gumi, Sembawang Engineering & Construction and Mitsui & Corporation on 23 June 1997 for $316.7 million. The contract included the construction of of twin bored tunnels and of cut and cover tunnels.
The station excavation required the demolition of 200 parking lots located at carparks serving Block 22 and Block 34. To mitigate the loss of amenities for residents, new replacement carparks were constructed in the vicinity of the affected blocks. The station's western diaphragm wall was constructed beneath Serangoon Road, necessitating several traffic diversions. Road metal decking was used to maintain overall road capacity during construction. Existing 230 kV electrical cables and cast-iron water pipes located along the site boundary had to be protected from damage and vibration, while pipes crossing the site were relocated by the Land Transport Authority.
Boon Keng station utilised a semi top-down construction method, whereby the roof slab was cast first, followed by excavation to the concourse level through large openings in the slab. The concourse slab was then constructed, incorporating openings for further excavation to the platform level. The roof and concourse slabs were used to support the diaphragm walls, reducing ground movement and minimising disturbance to nearby HDB blocks. This approach was more cost-effective than the bottom-up method, which would have required extensive steel strutting to support the diaphragm walls.
Tunnelling between Boon Keng and Potong Pasir involved passing beneath shophouses along Serangoon Road, which were closely monitored for ground settlement. To minimise such risks, tunnelling was carried out continuously on a 24-hour basis rather than the original six-day work schedule. The tunnels also passed beneath Whampoa Canal and the Kallang River. At the request of the Public Utilities Board, a 50-metre section of the 25-metre-wide canal was reconstructed as a reinforced concrete canal above the tunnels.
Boon Keng station serves the North East Line (NEL) of the Singapore MRT and is between the Farrer Park and Potong Pasir stations. The station code is NE9. Being part of the NEL, the station is operated by SBS Transit. The station is located underneath Serangoon Road near the junction with Towner Road. Surrounding landmarks include Bendemeer Wet Market & Hawker Centre, Kallang Community Club, Central Sikh Temple, Kallang Neighbourhood Police Post.
Like most NEL stations, Farrer Park is a designated Civil Defence shelter. It is designed to accommodate at least 7,500 people and can withstand airstrikes and chemical attacks. Equipment essential for the operations in the Civil Defence shelter is mounted on shock absorbers to prevent damage during a bombing. When the electrical supply to the shelter is disrupted, there are backup generators to keep operations going. The shelter has dedicated built-in decontamination chambers and dry toilets with collection bins that will send human waste out of the shelter.
The station has accessibility features. A tactile system, consisting of tiles with rounded or elongated raised studs, guides visually impaired commuters through the station, with dedicated routes that connect the station entrances to the platforms or between the lines. Wider fare gates allow easier access for wheelchair users into the station.
Boon Keng station features Lim Poh Teck's Metamorphosis as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme. Displayed in the station's concourse paid area, the work comprises two large acrylic paintings reproduced as vitreous enamel panels. The work, described by LTA as "colourful" and "childlike", depicts the evolution of the Boon Keng area. According to Lim, the incorporation of humour in the work is intended to make it more accessible and enjoyable for commuters. One painting showcases its past â complete with boats, trams, and fishermen â while the second portrays contemporary life with high-rise flats and aircraft. These are complemented by icons and motifs derived from the main scenes â such as a cat, a double-decker bus and a spaceship â displayed on enamel panels along the station walls..
The artist's research for the commission involved sketching sessions along the Kallang River and interviewing long-time residents who remembered Boon Keng's traditional trades and makeshift housing. Lim also researched on Lim Boon Keng, after whom the station is named.. Lim originally drew 200 icons for the project, later narrowing the selection to 80, of which 30 were incorporated into the final artwork. The panels were fabricated at a vitreous enamel factory in Belgium, where Lim worked with the technicians to translate his acrylic paintings into the new medium. To replicate the vibrancy of the original works, an 11-colour silk-screening process was employed instead of the standard four-colour method. While some nuances were lost, Lim noted that the process also opened up new creative possibilities beyond the conventional limits of canvas or three-dimensional work.