MRT project a priority, says Governor Sutiyoso<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso insisted on Monday the Mass
\nRapid Transportation (MRT) project tops the administration's list
\nof priorities as it works to reduce traffic congestion in the
\ncapital.<\/p>\n
\"Many parties have given political support to those who
\ndisagree with the urgency of the MRT, but for the city
\nadministration it is clear that the project is a priority,\"
\nSutiyoso said following a meeting with representatives of the
\nJapanese government to discuss the subway project.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said the central government had yet to put the MRT on
\nthe top of its national transportation development program, but
\nhe vowed to push the project forward as soon as he received the
\ngo-ahead from President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
The governor also reiterated the socioeconomic advantages of
\nthe project, pointing out that it would create a great number of
\njobs during construction and when completed would have an impact
\non the city's economic life.<\/p>\n
The Japanese delegation, which consisted of officials from the
\ncountry's land, infrastructure and transportation ministries,
\ntold Sutiyoso during the meeting that based on their studies,
\nJakarta required an MRT system to reduce traffic congestion.<\/p>\n
A seminar will be held on Tuesday to allow the Japanese
\nofficials to present the findings of these studies.<\/p>\n
With millions of residents traveling throughout the city every
\nday, the MRT is seen as being able to solve Jakarta's
\ntransportation problems because it can transport some 50,000
\npeople per hour.<\/p>\n
According to the preliminary plans, the MRT would be
\nconstructed in at least two stages. In the first stage, costing
\naround US$1.5 billion, the MRT would connect Jl. Fatmawati in
\nSouth Jakarta to the National Monument (Monas) in Central
\nJakarta, with 13 stations along the route. It would combine an
\nelevated track and a subway.<\/p>\n
There would be 12.7 kilometers of elevated track from Jl.
\nFatmawati to Senayan, with the possibility of an extension to
\nDukuh Atas in South Jakarta. The route would then continue to
\nMonas via a 2.8-kilometer subway.<\/p>\n
In the second stage, the construction cost of which has not
\nbeen calculated, the MRT would connect Monas and Harmoni in
\nCentral Jakarta and then terminate at the Kota railway station in
\nWest Jakarta. This section would probably be underground.<\/p>\n
In a rough estimate made earlier by the city administration,
\nthe project could save the capital annual losses of US$900
\nmillion caused by traffic congestion.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said a research team from the Japan International
\nCorporation Agency calculated the costs of the first stage of the
\nsubway project at some Rp 10.3 trillion to connect Jl. Fatmawati
\nto Dukuh Atas, and Rp 3.4 trillion for the track from Dukuh Atas
\nto Monas.<\/p>\n
Some Rp 771.46 billion would be needed to appropriate the
\nnecessary land, with the money coming from the utility relocation
\nbudget in 2001 and 2002. In 2001 alone, Rp 642.881 billion would
\nbe spent to purchase the land, Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
The Japanese government has given its commitment to finance
\nthe project, promising a special yen loan with 7.5 percent
\ninterest per year. The special loan package, which would be taken
\nfrom the Miyazawa Plan and the Special Yen Loan Program, would
\nhave a maturity period of 40 years with a grace period of 10
\nyears.<\/p>\n
\"It now depends on the rupiah's exchange rate to see whether
\nthey (Japanese government) will fulfill their commitment,\" said
\nSutiyoso.<\/p>\n
A memorandum of understanding on the project was signed in
\n1995 between the central government, the city administration and
\nan Indonesian-Japanese-European consortium. The project was
\npostponed when the financial crisis hit Indonesia in the middle
\nof 1997. (04\/07)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mrt-project-a-priority-says-governor-sutiyoso-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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