THE re-opening of the underpass between Orchard MRT station and Wisma Atria shopping mall has brought smiles to shoppers – and retailers.

Traffic to the Wisma Atria basement has more than doubled since the underpass re-opened, said YTL Pacific Star, which manages the 23-year-old Orchard Road mall.

The linkway reopened last Wednesday, after being closed for more than two years because of the construction of the ION Orchard mall, next to Wisma Atria.

What a change two years has brought.

On July 21 – the day ION Orchard opens – CapitaLand and Sun Hung Kai Properties, which co-own the underground linkway, will unveil a “jewellery street” when the hoardings are finally removed.

The alley will be lined with popular home-grown jewellery brands, a spokesman said.

With improved traffic and the impending launch of ION Orchard, businesses in the basement of Wisma Atria are relieved and happy to report sales increases of at least 30 per cent over the weekend.

Ms Adelene Tan, 31, owner of apparel boutique Green Petals, said she moved into Wisma Atria’s basement two weeks ago because she was confident that the re-opened linkway would divert much-needed traffic to her corner shop.

She said: “I was initially quite sceptical when Wisma Atria approached me to take up the space. I’m glad the linkway has re-opened.”

Customers were still strolling into her shop five minutes before closing time on Monday night and coffee joint Toast Box was still crowded at 10pm.

Mr Wayne Ho, director of French shoe shop schu, which has been located in Wisma Atria’s basement for the past two years, said: “There’s been a 50 to 100 per cent improvement in sales over the past weekend, but it’s still too early to identify whether the underpass is responsible for the crowd, or the sale.”

But homemaker Vivian Tio, 35, felt differently. “Previously, I’d rate Wisma Atria’s basement level four out of 10 for convenience,” she said.

“But the re-opening of the linkway has certainly changed things.”

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