On subway project<\/p>\n
In his letter Subway project (Jan. 29), W. Pienandoro raises
\nan interesting point.<\/p>\n
When, if ever, is the plan to build a subway from Blok M to
\nKota likely to materialize? I ask this question because, although
\nI fully understand that its purpose is to alleviate the terrible
\ncongestion on a major traffic artery, it seems to me that it is
\nthe most difficult and most costly way to do so.<\/p>\n
Tunneling is very expensive, far more so than overhead
\nconstruction, and far more time-consuming. Therefore, before it
\nis too late, would it not be prudent to consider an overhead
\n(preferably electrified) railway system?<\/p>\n
There are plenty of construction firms with experience in
\nbuilding flyovers etc., whose skills could be deployed to this
\nend; but few, if any, I suspect, with adequate know-how for a
\nmajor tunneling project.<\/p>\n
Be it underground or overhead, this system is only going to
\nbenefit a very small proportion of Jakarta's populace. Surely it
\nwould be better to concentrate on improving the existing surface
\ncommuter routes to and from the central business and government
\noffice areas.<\/p>\n
Like most other major cities worldwide, London has an
\nextensive underground (subway) system, that has been built up
\nover the past 100 years. The central area is either fully
\nunderground or on sunken tracks below road level.<\/p>\n
As it spreads further from the center, it becomes just sunken,
\nand eventually at road level. At its furthest, the system
\nstretches to 40 kilometers or more from the city center, and
\nthereby provides an indispensable commuter service to supplement
\nthe regular railway and bus services.<\/p>\n
But, as I said, it has taken 100 years and vast sums of money
\nto complete thus far, and extensions are still being made. This
\ndescription would have been much more relevant and clearer if the
\nmap of London's underground system could be printed in this
\nspace.<\/p>\n
RB SAWREY-COOKSON<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-subway-project-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }