In June 1973, the Public Works Department announced that that it intended to enhance pedestrian safety and improve the environment around the Orchard Road tourist and shopping belt by building a landscaped pedestrian mall along the busy street. Work on the mall began soon after the announcement was made and involved the covering up of the Stamford Canal along Orchard Road with concrete slabs. Phase One of the project, which comprised of a walkway 900 metres long and eight metres wide between Cuscaden and Grange Roads, was completed in late 1974 at a cost of $1.3 million. This stretch of the mall started from Ming Court Hotel (third from left), passed Singapura Forum Hotel (second from left) and Hilton Hotel (first from left), and ended at Mandarin Hotel further up the road. Subsequent expansion works in the 1970s saw the mall extended down towards Tanglin and Napier Roads before ending near the Singapore Botanical Gardens along Cluny Road.
