Expert says Jakarta suitable for subway
Expert says Jakarta suitable for subway
JAKARTA (JP): The construction of a subway in Jakarta is technically feasible, a Japanese expert has said.
Misao Sugawara, a technical advisor at the Japanese Railway Board, said he saw no technical constraints to building a subway system in Jakarta, Antara reported on Monday.
The Tokyo University professor, a technical expert hired by the city administration to consult on the planned Blok M-Kota subway project, said the city's land structure is conducive for the construction of a subway, despite the fact that some areas have water sources and that the city is situated near the sea.
He said that proper high-technology applications could overcome the problems by shifting the course of the water sources and constructing a waterproof underground tunnel.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the city's development board, Budihardjo Sukmadi, who is also head of the subway project, said Japan and Germany would fully support the construction of the project, especially the technological aspects.
He said Japan is renowned in the world for its expertise in building underground tunnels. "Even several European countries have adopted Japanese technology in building such structures," he told Antara in Tokyo.
When completed, the mass rapid transit system, the first of its kind ever built in Indonesia, will link the 15-kilometer stretch from Blok M to Kota with stops at 15 stations.
The city administration, with the private sector support of domestic and international companies, is conducting a feasibility study by sending its officials in charge to Japan, Britain and Germany for comparative studies. The city administration hopes to come up with a definite blueprint for the gigantic project by September.
The subway is expected to cost US$1.5 billion, with the funds coming from foreign loans and the city budget. The construction is scheduled to commence in April 1997 and be completed in 2001.
Members of the subway project team, together with several city councilors from Commission D for development and transportation affairs, went to Japan on a working visit from March 2O to March 23. During the visit they attended a discussion on the operation of subways in metropolitan Tokyo.
Vice Speaker of the Jakarta City Council Syamsul Supriyatna said that Jakarta and its population of nearly 10 million people will need a subway system if the capital's infamous bumper-to- bumper traffic is ever to be alleviated. (bas/sur)