Countdown events on Dec 31 are expected to draw large crowds. -- ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Road closures and enhanced security measures will be in place during ONE Countdown 2026 on Dec 31 until the early hours of Jan 1, with the events expected to draw huge crowds.
Celebrations and firework displays islandwide include those at Marina Bay and The Kallang, which was formerly known as Singapore Sports Hub.
Police, auxiliary police and security officers will be deployed to manage crowds in the vicinity of Marina Bay and The Kallang, said the police on Dec 28.
Officers from the police land divisions, including emergency response teams, Special Operations Command, Police Coast Guard and Traffic Police will be conducting enhanced patrols.
To prevent overcrowding, the number of people entering certain areas will be regulated by the police and security personnel.
These include The Promontory, One Fullerton/Merlion Park, Esplanade Park, Esplanade Waterfront Promenade, Marina Bay Sands Waterfront Promenade and other areas within the vicinity of Marina Bay.
Similar crowd control measures will be in place at Stadium Roar, Stadium Riverside Walk, Beach Volleyball Court, Lawn Bowl, Tanjong Rhu Promenade and Water Sports Centre at the Kallang Basin.
Entry into these areas will be stopped once capacity has reached safety thresholds, the police added.
People should not cycle in the vicinity of Marina Bay and Kallang Basin.
City Hall, Raffles Place, Bayfront, Stadium, Tanjong Rhu and Nicoll Highway MRT stations are expected to be very crowded. People are encouraged to use other nearby stations such as Esplanade, Promenade, Downtown, Marina Bay, Kallang and Mountbatten.
Footways along Bayfront Avenue as well as Esplanade, Merdeka and Tanjong Rhu bridges are only for transit purposes, with pedestrians not allowed to stop and congregate.
Revellers are advised to use the Crowd@MarinaBay and Crowd@Kallang live maps, which provide information such as real-time crowd levels, photos of the crowds and area closures.
The map for Marina Bay will be available from 7pm, and that for Kallang Basin from 8.30pm.
To facilitate safe and orderly dispersal, there will be designated routes out of Marina Bay and Kallang Basin, with signs put up to guide the public.
People may be directed to other MRT stations to avoid overcrowding.
As a number of bus and train services will be extended on New Year’s Eve, the police said there will be no need to rush home after midnight.
Revellers can also head to other countdown festivities in the heartland. More information can be found at https://www.gowhere.gov.sg/onecountdown/
For inquiries on the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown, call 6950-3263 and visit www.marinabaycountdown.sg or its Facebook page.
For inquiries on ONE Countdown 2026 at The Kallang, visit www.thekallang.com.sg/events/Countdown2026 -- The Straits Times/ANN
