Development of Jakarta airport railway to start in March 2008

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said the development of a 27-km-long airport railway in Jakarta will start in March 2008.

"The project`s ground breaking will be carried out in March 2008 and it is expected to be completed in June 2009," the minister told the press after the launching of Ciliwung Blue Line at Gambir railway station here on Friday.

The airport railway was an urgent need and could become the best alternative to go to and come from the airport for Jakarta residents, apart from toll roads, he said.

"The threat of flooding induced by high tide as happened last week and caused traffic congestion on the road to the airport, will no longer recur if we have an airport railway. Besides, its carrying capacity will be much bigger than buses," the minister said.

The bidding process for the railway construction would be completed before March 2008, he said.

"Work to make the DED (Detailed Engineering Design) is expected to be finished in December, and it will be followed by the bidding and other processes," he said.

Meanwhile, the elevated railway project will be operated by PT Railink, a subsidiary of state railway company PT KA, with a share ownership of 60 percent by PT KA and the rest by PT Angkasa Pura II airport management company, President Director of PT KA Ronny Wahyudi said.

The funds of the airport railway project, which was estimated to cost around Rp2.2 trillion, would be provided by three national bank syndicates, he said.

The route of the airport train line would be : Manggarai (Duri)-Angke-Soekarno Hatta airport, he said.