New design for three-tier transit system delivered

JAKARTA (JP): The modified design of the Rp 6.05 trillion (US$2.3 billion) three-tier transit system linking the downtown Kota district and South Jakarta suburb of Bintaro was delivered to the municipality yesterday.

A project officer of the contractor, PT Citramoda Margakencana Persada, Budisantoso Joewono, said the design was modified by adding light rail tracks to run alongside some of the planned tollway, as required by the municipality.

"The addition of light rail tracks is to make more efficient use of the available land and to minimize land appropriation for the project," Budisantoso said.

A team from the company, which was set up in April, presented the modified design to Deputy Governor of Development and Economic Affairs Tb.M. Rais in a ceremony which was also attended by the head of the City's Development Planning Board, Budihardjo Soekmadi.

The company was told to modify its design after a presentation at the City's Spatial Plan agency in May.

Budisantoso said yesterday there was no change in the construction schedule. "Work is expected to start in December with the first phase to run from Pondok Ranji to Kebayoran Lama in South Jakarta," he said.

The project, which is a combination of an elevated toll road, light rail transit system and artery roads, is scheduled to be finished within four years and be open by 2001. The company proposed a concession period of 50 years, excluding the four-year construction period.

Facilities to be built in the first phase include an integrated elevated tollroad and light railway from Jakarta's Outer Ring Road W2 to Tanah Abang.

An integrated toll road and light railway will connect Tanah Abang to Kota and Jakarta's Outer Ring Road, section S/Pangeran Antasari to Gelora.

The tollroad project will be 23.65 kilometers long and the light railway 22 kilometers, with 20 stops: four main stations and 16 small ones.

A team was set up yesterday to assist the company with technical details. The team is chaired by the assistant secretary on economic and development affairs, Prawoto S. Danoemihardjo.

The company has proposed a fare of Rp 1,800 for the light railway, and Rp 6,500 to Rp 10,000 for the toll road.

The light railway will ply two routes: Bintaro-Kebayoran Lama- Kota and Bintaro-Kebayoran Lama-Blok M-Kebayoran Lama-Kota with a capacity of carrying 12,000 passengers an hour.

In addition to the construction of the three-tier transit system, the city is also planning to construct a subway project connecting Bintaro and Kota. (ste)