As the residents of Tanglin Halt Estate gradually move out because of the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), the long-term future of a Datuk Gong shrine in the area is up in the air.
The shrine is at the foot of a tree along Tanglin Halt Road, between Block 48 Tanglin Halt Road and Block 50 Commonwealth Drive.
The shrine is easily spotted from afar, because the tree is wrapped in yellow cloth, while the abode for the deity is also in yellow, the colour of royalty.
Google Street View’s history reveals that the shrine was set up only several years ago - between February 2018 and June 2019. My guess is that the tenants of nearby Blocks 47 to 49, and perhaps even the stallholders of Block 48A, Tanglin Halt Market & Food Centre, were responsible for building and maintaining it.
These three blocks, and the market, will be demolished in Phase 2 of the redevelopment of Tanglin Halt Estate, sometime after March 2027.
Hence, Datuk Gong should still stick around for some time yet - but after 2027, it is anyone’s guess.