▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Before ▁the ▁North ▁East ▁line ▁part ▁of ▁this ▁station ▁opened , ▁the ▁Singapore ▁Civil ▁Def ence ▁Force ▁conducted ▁the ▁second ▁ever ▁Sh elter ▁Open ▁House ▁on ▁ 1 5 – 1 6 ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁together ▁with ▁F arr er ▁Park , ▁Ser ango on ▁and ▁H oug ang ▁stations . ▁ ▁This ▁station ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁most ▁challeng ing ▁station ▁to ▁build ▁on ▁the ▁North ▁East ▁line , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁buildings ▁above ▁ground , ▁most ▁with ▁rein for ced ▁concrete ▁or ▁tim ber ▁p iles ▁and ▁all ▁in ▁marine ▁cl ay . ▁Another ▁fe at ▁was ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁to ▁preserve ▁Garden ▁Bridge , ▁a ▁large ▁overhead ▁bridge ▁on ▁bore ▁p iles , ▁while ▁building ▁the ▁station ▁below . ▁The ▁tid al ▁Eu ▁T ong ▁Sen ▁Canal ▁was ▁also ▁di vert ed ▁into ▁four ▁two - meter ▁diameter ▁steel ▁pip es ▁sl ung ▁under ▁the ▁temporary ▁traffic ▁de cks ▁( two ▁on ▁each ▁side ). ▁Part ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Bridge ▁Road ▁was ▁often ▁closed ▁between ▁ 1 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁ 2 0 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁Ch in at own ▁M RT ▁station . ▁Tra ffic ▁along ▁Eu ▁T ong ▁Sen ▁Street ▁was ▁di vert ed ▁until ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁Dow nt own ▁Line ▁was ▁planned ▁since ▁the ▁late ▁ 1