MRT construction 'sure' to start 2010, firm says

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 12/05/2008 11:43 AM  

PT Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta (MRTJ) is upbeat construction on the capital's new mass rapid transportation system will commence by early 2010 following a land acquisition process scheduled for next year. 

Eddi Santosa, the company's director, said he was optimistic the land acquisition stage could be completed swiftly, citing that only 4 hectares were needed for the route from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta. The route is expected to be completed by 2014. 

"The 4-hectare area of land will be used to build a depot in Lebak Bulus. The rest of the railway network will be built under or above the streets," he said. 

The city administration has allocated Rp 40 billion from this year's budget to buy land for the depot and to construct the depot. 

Some 3.4 kilometers of the 14.3-kilometer-long Lebak Bulus-Dukuh Atas route will be underground, with the rest elevated. 

"The MRT will go underground from Dukuh Atas to Jl. Majapahit in Central Jakarta, because the area is classified as Ring 1 (top security priority), where there should be no obstacles above the ground. The MRT will resurface again at Kampung Bandan," he said. 

He said the city administration would perform sub-surface scans to ensure utility networks were not damaged by construction, and that the stations would be built between 8 and 12 meters below the streets -- well below utility pipelines. 

"As for the elevated structures, the transportation ministry has also made a study about the construction process, including on how to avoid congestion during the construction period," he said. 

The north-south route will link Kota in West Jakarta and Lebak Bulus. Construction on the route, which is expected to be completed by 2018, will be divided into two phases. 

"The MRT route can help bring life back to the (neglected) Old Town area," he said. 

The administration also plans to utilize pylons built for the abolished monorail project to construct an MRT route linking Pulo Gebang in East Jakarta and Kebon Jeruk in West Jakarta. 

"If the east-west route is agreed, it can serve commuters from Bekasi and Tangerang. If the axis is completed, we can make an encircling network," Eddi said. 

He said the MRT would have a maximum capacity of 300,000 passengers per day, with an average travel time of 5 minutes and 30 seconds. 

The company has planned to operate 17 trains, each to have six cars. 

Ahmad Harjadi, head of Jakarta's planning and development bureau, said the administration planned to integrate the MRT with other transportation networks, including the busway and the inner city train network. 

"Besides integrating the network, we also plan to integrate the ticket systems so that people can transfer from one mode of transportation to another without having to buy a new ticket," he said.