The Land Transport Authority yesterday, in announcing phase two of its Downtown Line (DTL), also asked the public to help decide on names for nine of the DTL stations.
Suggestions will be accepted from the end of July.
Said Ms Vilasani Raja, 26, who added that the DTL will cut her travelling time from Bukit Panjang to Orchard Road by up to one-third: 'The names should represent where we live.... It's exciting to see what Singaporeans will come up with.'
The remaining three stations - Little India, Botanic Gardens and Newton - are designated interchanges and their names are already confirmed.
The LTA hopes that more commuters like Ms Vilasani will benefit and that the DTL will encourage more people to use public transport.
Mr Yam Ah Mee, chief executive of the LTA, said: 'The second phase of the DTL will link the north-western part of the island through its first phase directly to... the Marina Bay area.'
However, commuters will have to be patient - phase one is targeted for completion in 2013 and phase two in 2015.
The completion of the entire DTL is targeted for 2018.
With one depot and 12 stations, this leg of the line will stretch for 16.6km.
From the Little India interchange, commuters can transfer to the North-East Line for direct access to heartlands like Hougang on its northbound route and places like Clarke Quay in the eastbound direction.
To transfer to the North-South Line, commuters can change trains at Newton interchange.
The third and last interchange, Botanic Gardens, intersects with the Circle Line to allow direct access to Holland Village, Kent Ridge and Telok Blangah, among others.
At the end of the line, before the Gali Batu Depot, is Petir station. It links up with the Bukit Panjang LRT.
Ms Vilasani, whose home is 10 minutes away from Petir, said: 'A station close to home would make my commute to the city so much quicker and easier.'
But others told my paper they have already grown fond of their usual bus routes. Marketing executive Rena Chiam, 25, takes the bus from her home in Bukit Panjang to her workplace in Clementi every day. She said: 'The bus services in my area (Bukit Panjang) work fine for me.'
