History of Sungei Ulu Pandan

Ulu Pandan was originally swampland. Malays grew tropical fruits and fished there for prawns and crabs. The Javanese later came and settled there.

As the area went through development, the risk of flooding increased. In 1959, the City council built a drain from North Buona Vista Road to Ulu Pandan River to divert floodwater.

In 1963 the catchment was widened.
In 1965, the Ulu Pandan drainage scheme was introduced to divert drainage runoff from the upper Bukit Timah catchment area.

In 1968, to divert floods from Bukit Timah to the western coast of Singapore, the Public Work Department built two tunnels under the Ulu Pandan military camp to connect Ulu Pandan River with Bukit Timah canal.
This $6.8 million project relieved Stevens road and Coronation road from floods.
A decade later (1978) Ulu Pandan river was concrete lined and widened to cope with impacts of rapid land development.