Construction of Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 4 (T4) has been completed. The next stage of development will focus on its interior fittings, as well as preparing it for operations, according to Changi Airport Group (CAG).

Work on the new terminal, located at the southern end of Changi Airport, started in early 2014. In addition to the two-storey passenger terminal building, the construction involved the development of two multi-storey car parks providing 1,700 parking spaces, a two-storey taxi holding area, as well as three vehicular and pedestrian bridges spanning across Airport Boulevard to create new channels of access to T4.

A 68-m high ramp control tower has also been constructed to enhance air traffic controllers’ management of aircraft movements in the apron and taxiways around the terminal. Completed in under three years, the T4 project involved over 4,000 workers at the peak of its construction works, said CAG.

“The past three years have been an intense and exciting journey for CAG and our project partners. We worked closely with the architects and contractors to ensure that the development works were carried out according to plan, and witnessed the transition of our vision from architectural blueprints to fruition,” said Yam Kum Weng, CAG’s executive vice president of Air Hub Development.

“We thank all our partners and contractors for their contributions towards the successful completion of the terminal’s construction, while achieving a clean safety record of 26.1 million accident-free man hours. For the next phase, we look forward to working with the airport community to prepare the terminal for opening in the second half of 2017.”

T4 will see a terminal-wide implementation of fast and seamless travel (FAST) initiatives to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency. Such method is said to be the first time for Changi Airport.

CAG explained that preparatory works in the lead-up to its opening will involve the installation and testing of key airport systems and processes, including the new FAST self-service and automated options covering check-in, bag-drop, immigration clearance and boarding.There will also be training and familiarisation programmes organised for airport staff and partners, to prepare them for operations in the new terminal.