First announced as People's Park MRT station in March 1996, the construction of the NEL station was one of the most challenging projects on the line. It involved multiple diversions of the main roads and the Eu Tong Sen Canal, in addition to the preservation of the Garden Bridge. The NEL station was completed on 20 June 2003. In March 2007, it was announced that the station would interchange with the DTL Stage 1, which opened in 2013. The station features two artworks as part of the Art-in-Transit programme.