SINGAPORE: Motorists can expect very heavy traffic at the Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints over the Deepavali long weekend, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Monday (Nov 6).
Deepavali falls on Sunday, which means that Monday, Nov 13, will be a public holiday.
As the year-end school holidays have already started for some students, very heavy traffic can be expected from Thursday until Nov 14, ICA said in an advisory.
Travellers can also expect longer waiting times amid tightened security.Â
“Given the developing situation in the Middle East, ICA has stepped up security measures at the checkpoints,” said the authority.
Travellers are advised to factor in additional waiting time for immigration clearance.
“We seek travellers’ understanding and cooperation to be patient, observe traffic rules, maintain lane discipline and cooperate with officers on-site when using the land checkpoints.”
Motorists can check the traffic situation at the checkpoints before embarking on their journeys. They can do so via the Land Transport Authority’s One Motoring website.
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ICA also urged motorists not to engage in queue cutting.
“Motorists using the land checkpoints should refrain from queue cutting as it can cause severe congestion and compromise the safety of other motorists,” the authority said
“ICA works closely with the Traffic Police to ensure road discipline at the critical junctions and roads leading to the land checkpoints. Errant motorists caught queue cutting will be turned away and made to re-queue.
“In a recent incident on Oct 15, 2023, ICA turned away four cars from Tuas Checkpoint due to them cutting the queue when entering Singapore.”
In its advisory, ICA also said that the Children’s Day weekend from Oct 6 to Oct 8 saw more than 1.27 million people use the land checkpoints.
There were more than 460,000 border crossings on Oct 6 alone, with departing travellers accounting for about 260,000 of these crossings.
This was the largest number of travellers cleared through the land checkpoints since the land borders between Singapore and Malaysia were fully reopened last year.
“Those who departed by car had to wait up to three hours before they were cleared through immigration during the peak,” ICA said.