Members of the public planning to visit Chinatown between February 13 and 16 have been advised to check a live crowd map before heading down, as large crowds are expected during the Chinese New Year Bazaar.
The police issued the advisory on Tuesday, January 27, in anticipation of peak visitor numbers closer to the eve of Chinese New Year.
The Chinese New Year Bazaar runs from January 27 to February 16, with crowd levels expected to intensify in the final days. To help visitors plan their trips, the Crowd@Chinatown map will provide real-time updates on crowd density and area closures. The map will be accessible daily from 6 pm to 1 am between February 13 and 16.
The police advised the public to avoid areas marked in red on the live map, warning that selected locations may be locked down if crowd safety thresholds are exceeded. In such cases, visitors will be diverted to other areas to manage congestion and ensure public safety.
To facilitate the bazaar, Temple Street will be closed to traffic from 4 pm to 11 pm from Monday to Thursday, and from 2 pm to 11.59 pm from Friday to Sunday. The road will also be closed from 2 pm on February 16 to 1.30 am on February 17. During these periods, vehicular access will be restricted to authorised vehicles such as police and emergency services.
The police said parking restrictions will be strictly enforced in the affected areas, and vehicles found parking illegally or causing obstruction will be towed away. Police officers, auxiliary police and security personnel will be deployed from the evening of January 27 to manage crowds and maintain public order throughout the bazaar period.
Commuters are encouraged to consider using Maxwell MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line to access Chinatown, as Chinatown MRT station, which serves the Northeast and Downtown lines, is expected to be heavily crowded. The police also urged members of the public to remain patient and comply with instructions from officers and security staff on the ground.
Anyone with information on suspicious persons or activities can contact the Internal Security Department at 1800-262-6473, call the police at 999, or send an SMS to 70999. Information can also be submitted online via the police i-Witness portal or through the SGSecure mobile application.
