Construction firm, director and employees charged over Tanjong Katong sinkhole

The company is accused of failing to ensure that the works were carried out according to approved structural plans.

It allegedly constructed jet grout piles with smaller diameters and failed to carry out the required jet grouting trial and other stipulated tests.

The firm also created additional openings in a caisson ring and horizontal grouting works at another ring that were not approved.

One of the caisson rings was allegedly cast in a non-circular shape instead of a uniformly circular one.

When the company became aware of a road depression along Tanjong Katong Road on Jul 15, 2025, it failed to immediately notify the Commissioner of Building Control, the charges stated.

The company is also accused of failing to take measures for the safety and health of its employees, including ensuring there was an adequate risk assessment and safe work procedure for horizontal grouting works.

Ohin Construction is also accused of failing to ensure that a video surveillance system was in good working order and operational at all times.

Six others were charged in relation to this case: Ohin Construction’s managing director, 64-year-old Ong Khiaw Yang Ivan; Yau Tze Yin, 49, the qualified person appointed to supervise the carrying out of structural works; Raajkumar Nadarajan, 58, the project director at the worksite adjacent to Tanjong Katong Road South; Kee Chen Siang, 39, the qualified person appointed to prepare the plans of the structural works and supervise their implementation; Sellappan Saravanakumar, 35, who was project manager at the worksite; and Senthilnathan Mathyalakan, a 56-year-old resident engineer.

Ong was handed six charges, the most among the accused.

A representative for Ohin Construction told the court that the company is under provisional liquidation.

The cases were adjourned to July.