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North East Mrt Line North East Line (NEL) is the third MRT line in Singapore and the world's first fully underground, automated & driverless heavy rail line. The line is 20 km long with 14 stations, and operated by SBS Transit. This line is coloured purple in the rail map. As the name implies, the line connects central Singapore to the northeastern part of the island. Cross-platform transfer to the North South Line is provided at Dhoby Ghaut station and East West Line at Outram Park station. This line is the first in Singapore to be entirely underground. History The Land Transport Authority received approval for the construction of the North East Line on January 16, 1996. French company Alstom was chosen as the main contractor and manager of the project. The operating license was given to new rail operator SBS Transit in order to foster competition with SMRT Corporation. The line was scheduled for completion in 2002, but due to various problems in the automation, the opening was repeatedly delayed. It was finally opened on June 20, 2003, with higher fares than existing lines supposedly to compensate for the heavy construction costs (S$4.6 billion). At the time that the line was opened, all of the stations were operating except Buangkok and Woodleigh. SBS Transit announced that these will open only when there is a critical mass of passengers in those areas. With respect to Buangkok, which was already built, the company claimed that the number of passengers was too low to cover operating costs. Issues Despite some initial glitches, the line has operated more or less reliably. A software flaw on one of the first days of operation paralysed operations for several hours until the necessary computer hardware was available. However, after half a year of operation, ridership remained below expectations at 170,000/day, with 250,000/day needed to break even. SBS Transit estimated its losses for 2003 at S$40 million, and is rumored to be considering selling the line to competitor SMRT Corporation. Some people feel that the North-East line is a white elephant, especially given that it charges higher fares than the rest of the system and is currently operating at a loss. Others feel that the North-East Line is a breakthrough in technology and another proud achievement in Singapore's World Class transportation system. Stations External links
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