Central govt, city to cooperate on subway<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
First there was the busway, then the monorail system, and now the
\ncity is once again dusting off the Mass Rapid Transport system,
\nor MRT.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration and central government are teaming
\nup to start the ambitious US$767.66 million project in an effort
\nto ease chronic traffic woes in the capital.<\/p>\n
Part subway, part suburban rail system, the first phase will
\ninclude three underground stations and nine elevated ones.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to complete the preparations in a year. Hopefully, we
\ncan start the construction work (on the MRT) in 2006,\" city
\ndevelopment affairs official Hari Sanjoyo said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The project would stretch from the Lebak Bulus bus terminal in
\nSouth Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Previously, we had a recommendation to build the route from
\nFatmawati (in South Jakarta) to Kota. But later, we realized that
\nusing the existing Lebak Bulus bus terminal would be easier and
\ncost less than building a new terminal in Fatmawati,\" Hari said.<\/p>\n
The MRT, which would have the capacity to ferry about 33,000
\npassengers per hour, is expected to be integrated with the
\nexisting busway corridor and the under-construction monorail.<\/p>\n
The busway can transport around 60,000 commuters per day while
\nthe monorail is projected to carry up to 270,000 passengers
\ndaily.<\/p>\n
The MRT construction is to be divided into two phases. The
\nfirst phase would include the construction of nine elevated
\nstations and three underground stations.<\/p>\n
The first stage will be financed by a $521.75 million loan
\ngenerated from foreign institutions and a $245.91 million loan
\nraised from local companies.<\/p>\n
Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa said the ministry
\nwould redraw the policies to allow the private sector to join in
\nthe project financing.<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has thrown his weight
\nbehind the project.<\/p>\n
Transportation experts have repeatedly said that the MRT was
\nthe most effective solution to handle chronic congestion in the
\ncapital although it would be extremely costly.<\/p>\n
However, many doubt the construction of the MRT would be
\nsuccessful, given the many problems the construction would face
\n-- the messy underground power, water and telecommunication
\nnetworks, unstable soil structure and the recurrent flooding in
\nthe city.<\/p>\n
The long-talked about MRT was first approved in 1974, and at
\none time looked like it would materialize in 1995 after the
\nJapanese government gave its commitment to help finance the
\nproject.<\/p>\n
But the financial crisis that hit the country in mid-1997
\nforced the government to postpone it.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/central-govt-city-to-cooperate-on-subway-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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