Legislators say put MRT project in gear<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso's wish to immediately start a
\nMass Rapid Transit (MRT) project in the capital won backing on
\nMonday from members of the House of Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
Burhan Djabir Magenda of the National Awakening Party (PKB)
\nfaction and Handjojo Putro of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction expressed their support for the
\nproject at a House commission meeting with six governors,
\nincluding Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
The proposed MRT project, a combination of elevated track and
\nsubway, will connect the Fatmawati area in South Jakarta to Kota
\nRailway Station in West Jakarta. Its first stage will connect
\nFatmawati to the National Monument (Monas) park in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The fate of the project will depend on its environmental
\nimpact analysis, which is expected to be completed later this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
\"I support the immediate construction of the project. Tehran
\nalready has it. Bangkok, Manila and Singapore are also
\nconstructing their own subways,\" Burhan told the meeting, while
\nurging other legislators to join him in pushing the central
\ngovernment to start the project.<\/p>\n
Handjojo said it was time Jakarta had its own MRT.<\/p>\n
\"If we don't start immediately, we will be left behind.
\nPerhaps we'll be the only metropolis without a subway,\" he said.<\/p>\n
To the legislators, Sutiyoso reiterated the project would give
\nseveral advantages to the city.<\/p>\n
\"The project will lessen traffic congestion because it has a
\ncapacity to carry more than 50,000 passengers per hour. It will
\nalso provide employment opportunities for more than 60,000
\nconstruction workers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, the subway will also lessen pollution here.\"<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso and the other governors were summoned by members of
\nHouse Commission II for home and legal affairs to discuss the
\nimplementation of regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
The Japanese government, which has committed to providing
\nloans for the project, has also promised to use as much locally
\nsourced materials as possible for the project, Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
\"Imagine, the project will need a large amount of cement and
\nwe have several cement factories here. We can also use steel
\nproduced by steel factories in Cilegon,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"It will also provide opportunities for the dying state-owned
\ntrain manufacturer PT INKA in Madiun.\"<\/p>\n
He said the central government ranked the MRT project as the
\nthird priority for financing from the Miyazawa Plan and Special
\nYen Loan provided by the Japanese government.<\/p>\n
\"The first two priorities are to build a double track railway
\nand to construct gas pipelines, respectively\" Sutiyoso said,
\nwithout giving details of the projects.<\/p>\n
The governor appealed to legislators to call on the central
\ngovernment to put priority for the MRT project.<\/p>\n
Interviewed separately after the meeting, Handjojo said: \"We
\nreally need a subway now.<\/p>\n
\"It won't harm the cityscape like the existing Jabotabek
\nrailway system. Besides, there aren't available plots of land to
\nconstruct double track railways here.<\/p>\n
\"It's not simply a costly project, but an effective one.<\/p>\n
Burhan emphasized that funds were available and the economic
\nsituation was improving as the country emerged from the monetary
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, it will create many employment opportunities,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Both House members also said the MRT would enhance public
\ndiscipline.<\/p>\n
\"Residents will be forced to queue but, anyway, Jakarta
\nresidents will not experience such a great culture shock. They'll
\nlearn easily,\" Burhan said.<\/p>\n
Handjojo believed that city residents would quickly get used
\nto the system.<\/p>\n
\"Residents will improve their discipline by the time the
\nsubway is here,\" he said. (nvn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-say-put-mrt-project-in-gear-1447893297",
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