East Coast Reclamation Scheme

Launched in April 1966, the East Coast Reclamation Scheme was completed 20 years later at the end of 1986. Prior to this scheme, a smaller reclamation project had taken place in 1963 to reclaim 19 ha of land at East Coast Road.

The East Coast Reclamation Scheme was carried out in seven phases at a total cost of $613 million. It reclaimed a total of 1,525 ha and its last phase added about 1 km of shoreline. As the government agent for this reclamation scheme, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) was responsible for the planning, design and supervision of construction for the project.

=Reclamation methods=

Fill material used in the reclamation project was obtained through the cutting of hills in Siglap and Tampines. The area was subsequently excavated to form Bedok Reservoir. The cut soil was then transported by belt conveyors all the way to a loading jetty off Bedok, loaded onto barges and dumped directly into the reclaimed area. Bulldozers and dump trucks then spread, graded and compacted the reclaimed land to its final levels.

=Use of reclaimed land=

The reclaimed land in Bedok has been used for the construction of residential housing, commercial buildings and recreational facilities. Residential units included private housing and high-rise flats built by HDB.

=See also=
 * Fort Road beach: gay aspects

=References=
 * Marsita Omar, "Bedok land reclamation", Singapore Infopedia.