S$51.3 million(US$ million in ) contract, awarded in October 1983, included of tunnelling works between the Somerset and City Hall stations. Due to the soft marine clay at the station site, jet grouting was used to stabilise the soil. In January 1985, the soft soil led to a tunnel cave-in, which formed a wide hole near Cathay Cinema. The hole was refilled and the soil was further strengthened by injecting a concrete mixture. On 17 June, an engineer died when a crane fell into the work shaft and crushed him. Investigations revealed that the three pieces of timber intended to support the crane were not properly fastened and inadequate in providing support. The contractor was fined S$1,000 (US$ in ) for failing to ensure that the crane was capable of handling the load. Despite the incidents, structural work for the station was completed that September. To help people to become more familiar with the system, the Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC) organised an open house at the station on 6 December 1987. Train services commenced on 12 December when the line extension to Outram Park station was officially completed. The station was part of a line service that ran continuously from Yishun station in the north to Lakeside station in the west. From 28 October 1989, it began to serve the NSL with the operational split of the MRT system. In September 2000, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) installed lifts to allow barrier-free access to the station. North East line (NEL) station Plans were made in 1986 for a new line from Outram Park station via Dhoby Ghaut to Punggol station in the northeast. These were finalised as the North East line (NEL) in January 1996. In August 1997, the LTA awarded Contract C707 for building the NEL station to Obayashi Corporation. The S$268 million(US$ million in ) contract included the construction of two commercial buildings above the station. Construction began in 1996, with NEL commencing services on 20 June 2003. Construction difficulties included having to reroute the Stamford Canal, which bisected the station site, to a temporary canal. The old canal box was rebuilt and replaced by a new, larger box, which lies above the second level of the station. The new canal was temporarily supported by steel piles while the NEL station box was being constructed. With the proximity of works near the existing NSL station and tunnels,