Singapore has taken decisive enforcement action against a construction company and several of its personnel following a sinkhole incident that occurred last year on Tanjong Katong Road South. The charges, filed in court on 11 June 2026, centre on alleged lapses in safety, supervision, and regulatory compliance during works to build a new sewer pipeline shaft.
The incident, which took place on 26 July 2025, saw two lanes of the road collapse, causing a car to plunge into the resulting pit. The driver sustained injuries but was rescued by workers at the adjacent site and taken to hospital. Investigations by multiple agencies have now resulted in charges against Ohin Construction and six individuals connected to the project.
The Timeline of Events Leading to the Sinkhole
Construction activities at the Tanjong Katong Road South worksite involved the installation of a shaft designed to connect three new sewer pipelines. This project formed part of ongoing infrastructure upgrades managed under Singapore’s public utilities framework. Workers were employing jet grout piles to strengthen the surrounding soil and casting reinforced concrete caisson rings to form the shaft walls.
According to official accounts, part of the shaft under construction allegedly failed on the afternoon of 26 July 2025. Soil ingress into the shaft coincided with the sudden formation of the sinkhole at approximately 5.50pm. Two lanes of Tanjong Katong Road South, near its junction with Mountbatten Road and adjacent to the One Amber condominium, gave way. The driver of a vehicle travelling along the road was caught in the collapse.
Emergency responders and site workers quickly attended to the situation. The affected stretch of road was cordoned off, and traffic diversions were implemented. The driver received prompt medical attention and was reported to be conscious upon arrival at hospital.
Details of the Charges Filed
On 11 June 2026, Ohin Construction faced eight charges in total. These were brought primarily under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, the Building Control Act, the Street Works Act, and associated regulations. The charges relate to unauthorised and non-compliant works, failures in licensing and supervision, shortcomings in testing and monitoring, and the failure to notify authorities about earlier signs of road depression.
Six individuals linked to the firm were also charged. They include the company’s managing director, project director, project manager, two qualified persons responsible for structural supervision and plan preparation, and a resident engineer. The alleged offences span supervisory breaches, safety lapses, and procedural non-compliance during the critical phases of the shaft construction.
Court proceedings have been adjourned to July 2026. A representative for the company’s liquidators attended the initial hearing. Works at the project site remain suspended pending further resolution.
Key Individuals and Their Roles
The managing director of Ohin Construction, Ivan Ong Khiaw Yang, aged 64, is among those facing charges. Other personnel charged include project director Raajkumar Nadarajan, aged 58; project manager Sellappan Saravanakumar, aged 35; qualified person Yau Tze Yin, aged 49; qualified person Kee Chen Siang, aged 39; and resident engineer Senthilnathan Mathyalakan, aged 56.
In Singapore’s construction sector, a qualified person holds specific responsibilities for ensuring structural works comply with approved plans and safety standards. The resident engineer oversees day-to-day implementation on site. Project directors and managers coordinate overall execution and resource allocation.
These roles carry significant accountability under the regulatory framework designed to protect workers, the public, and infrastructure integrity.
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Regulatory Bodies and Their Findings
The Building and Construction Authority, the Ministry of Manpower, and the Land Transport Authority conducted joint investigations into the incident. Their findings pointed to alleged unauthorised works, testing failures, supervisory shortcomings, and inadequate monitoring of ground conditions.
Separately, the national water agency PUB and engineering consultancy Surbana Jurong Consultants received conditional warnings in connection with the project. These warnings reflect a measured regulatory response that stops short of formal charges while still signalling concerns over aspects of oversight and coordination.
Such multi-agency involvement underscores Singapore’s integrated approach to managing complex infrastructure projects that intersect with public roads, utilities, and workplace safety.
Understanding the Technical Aspects of the Works
Jet grout piles involve injecting a cement-based grout under high pressure into the ground to create stabilised soil columns. This technique is commonly used to improve ground conditions around excavations and shafts. Reinforced concrete caisson rings are prefabricated or cast-in-place circular segments that line the shaft as excavation proceeds, providing structural support against soil and water pressure.
When these methods are not executed or monitored correctly, risks such as soil collapse, water ingress, or surface subsidence can materialise. In this case, investigators identified lapses in the testing of grout strength, monitoring of ground movement, and timely reporting of observed road depression prior to the full sinkhole formation.
These technical details highlight why rigorous quality control and real-time surveillance are essential in urban construction environments where works occur in close proximity to live roadways and residential areas.
Impact on the Local Community and Road Users
The sinkhole caused immediate disruption along a busy stretch of Tanjong Katong Road South. Motorists were advised to avoid the area, and alternative routes were signposted. Local residents and businesses near the One Amber condominium experienced temporary inconvenience from the cordon and repair works.
The injured driver’s experience brought renewed public attention to the potential hazards of construction activities adjacent to public thoroughfares. Community discussions focused on the importance of transparent communication from project teams and swift remediation when early warning signs appear.
Repair and stabilisation efforts have since restored the road surface, although the underlying construction project remains on hold.
Broader Implications for Singapore’s Construction Sector
The case illustrates the stringent expectations placed on contractors undertaking public infrastructure works in a densely built city-state. Singapore maintains one of the most rigorous regulatory regimes in the region for building and civil engineering projects, with emphasis on proactive risk management.
Incidents of this nature can prompt reviews of industry practices, including enhanced requirements for ground monitoring instrumentation, clearer escalation protocols for observed anomalies, and stricter enforcement of notification obligations to agencies such as the Land Transport Authority.
Stakeholders across the sector, from main contractors to specialist subcontractors and consultants, are reminded that accountability extends throughout the project chain. Qualified persons, in particular, play a pivotal gatekeeping role that courts and regulators scrutinise closely when failures occur.
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Lessons for Safety and Compliance
Construction professionals emphasise the value of layered safeguards: regular geotechnical assessments, continuous instrumentation of ground movement, and immediate reporting of any deviation from expected conditions. Early detection of road depression, for example, could trigger additional stabilisation measures or temporary traffic management before a larger failure develops.
Training programmes for site supervisors and engineers often stress the legal duty to act on observed risks. The charges in this matter serve as a concrete reminder that documentation, testing records, and communication logs can become critical evidence in regulatory proceedings.
Industry associations continue to promote best-practice sharing sessions that draw on real-world cases to strengthen collective understanding of risk factors in shaft and tunnelling works.
Future Outlook and Ongoing Developments
With the next court mention scheduled for July 2026, further details on the specific nature of the alleged breaches and any mitigation arguments are expected to emerge. The suspended works will likely remain on hold until regulatory clearances are obtained and any required remedial actions completed.
Authorities have indicated that the investigations are complete, shifting focus to the judicial process and potential improvements in project governance. Public agencies involved in sewerage and road infrastructure are expected to incorporate findings into future tender specifications and supervision frameworks.
Residents and road users in the Tanjong Katong area can anticipate continued monitoring of the site until full restoration and project resumption, if approved, occur under heightened scrutiny.
