Constructing the NEL station required the relocation of Hougang Bus Interchange and a retirement home.

The North East line (NEL) project, which was first proposed in 1984,[2] received government approval in January 1996.

Many residents moved to a block at the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital on Serangoon Road, although some had to be sent to other homes due to limited capacity.

[12][13] Part of the construction works included tunnelling underneath terrace houses in Realty Park 13 metres (43 ft) underground.

[14] LTA installed various instruments to closely monitor any ground settlement, preventing structural damage to the surrounding buildings.

[6] On 25 January 2019, the LTA announced that Hougang station would interchange with the proposed Cross Island Line (CRL).

[15][16][17] However, the restrictions imposed on construction works due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to delays and the CRL1 completion date was pushed by one year to 2030.

Equipment essential for the operations in the Civil Defence shelter is mounted on shock absorbers to prevent damage during a bombing.

A tactile system, consisting of tiles with rounded or elongated raised studs,[32] guides visually impaired commuters through the station.

[34] Hands Up For Hougang by Seck Yok Ying is displayed at this station as part of the Art-in-Transit programme.