Bukit Batok West Hawker Centre set to open on Mar. 19 with 22 stalls, all will offer S$3.20 budget meal

The new Bukit Batok West Hawker Centre is reportedly set to open on Mar. 19 with 22 cooked food stalls, and each one offering a S$3.20 budget meal option.

The hawker centre, situated at Blk 469 Bukit Batok West Ave 9, will have more than 80 tables and over 400 seats.

It is located on the ground floor of Harmony Village, Singapore's first assisted living public housing estate catering to seniors who wish to live independently.

The development houses 169 units of senior-friendly Community Care Apartments, and incorporates senior-friendly design features and care services.

According to its website, Bukit Batok West Hawker Centre is a seven-minute drive from Bukit Batok MRT, and is the first hawker centre in Bukit Batok.

It will be run by Fei Siong Social Enterprise.

Design of the hawker centre

The hawker centre will also adopt a barrier-free design with high ceilings and high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) fans for better ventilation, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

It is set to open on Mar. 19, and operate from 7am to 10pm daily.

Zaobao reported that each of the 22 stalls will offer a S$3.20 budget meal, as an affordable option for residents.

The hawker centre will have a central tray return point.

Cutlery such as forks, spoons, cups and trays will be cleaned and disinfected on site, while bowls and plates will be sent to a factory for cleaning.

The hawker centre's supervisor, surnamed Hong (transliteration), told Zaobao that drivers will be engaged to send dirty dishes to a factory and bring back clean tableware.

They will make about three to four trips a day, delivering thousands of bowls and plates each time, said Hong.

Residents look forward to cheaper food options

A Bukit Batok resident of seven years told Zaobao that he and his family are looking forward to the hawker centre's opening, as it provides them more food options.

He said that he would typically buy food at a nearby coffeeshop or food court, but opined that prices at those places are not cheap.

A pack of mixed vegetable rice could cost S$5 to S$6, and chicken rice would set him back S$4.

A retiree staying in the area, surnamed Chen (transliteration), told Zaobao that most of the residents who live in the development are seniors.

So Chen hoped the hawker centre would offer cheaper meals.

"If we can get a full meal for S$4, that would be great," Chen said.

Top image from Lianhe Zaobao