Located in Bedok, Singapore, the station is along New Upper Changi Road and serves various residential developments, including Casa Merah.

[20] Finalised plans for the 6.4-kilometre (4.0 mi) branch were announced by deputy prime minister Lee Hsien Loong on 15 November 1996.

[21] The branch, projected to be completed in 2001, would run from this station and have an intermediate stop at Somapah to serve the Changi Business Park and the exhibition centre.

[25] In 2014, the LTA announced that Tanah Merah station would be expanded with a new platform to increase frequency for the Changi Airport branch.

Additional tracks will also be constructed to connect the station to the East Coast Integrated Depot (ECID).

[26] The contract for the construction of the new platform and viaducts was awarded to Lum Chang Building Contractors Pte.

Construction works were scheduled to begin at the end of that year with an expected completion date of 2024.

[33] To connect the tracks between the EWL and the ECID, train services between the Tanah Merah and Tampines stations was suspended from 7 to 10 December 2024.

[36][37] When it opened, it had the station code of E9[38] before being changed to the current alphanumeric style in August 2001 as a part of a system-wide campaign to cater to the expanding MRT System.