Now or never for mass transit system

Now or never for mass transit system

By Rita A. Widiadana and Johannes Simbolon

JAKARTA (JP): Transportation experts say the time for the
Jakarta municipal administration to develop a mass rapid transit
system is now, before its construction becomes much more costly.

Falatehan M. Siregar Ph. D., a transportation and urban
planning graduate of the University of Wisconsin in the United
States, and Dr. Bambang S. Pujiyanto, a transportation
engineering graduate of Nihon University of Tokyo, concur that
the nation's capital badly needs a mode of transportation which
can carry people in great numbers in order to cope with the
city's expected rapid development over the next 30 years.

"We must have that kind of transportation, if not now,
sometime in the future. However, any delay means more money to be
incurred for its construction," Bambang said.

Scenarios

The government announced some time ago that it would build
some mode of mass transportation in Jakarta. However, so far the
government has been unable to decide on the specific time when
the construction will start, and is still busy studying the
various scenarios proposed by potential investors.

Neither of the transportation experts could predict when the
government will give the go-ahead to the construction of a mass
rapid transit system.

"Nevertheless, that fact that the public is talking about the
issue so intensively at present, as compared to five years back,
when only a few people commented on it, may give us some hint
that the construction will probably start soon," Siregar
predicted.

Bambang and Siregar were of the opinion that from the
environmental point of view the subway mode would be more
suitable and beneficial to Jakarta than any above ground mode.
The environmental benefits include the fact that a subway creates
no eyesore and no sound pollution because it is underground.
This, they say, outweighs the considerable construction costs
involved in developing a subway.

"The consideration of environmental benefits is in fashion now
in Japan. For example, some people are even suggesting
eliminating the existing above ground mass rapid transportation
systems and other infrastructure, and replacing them with
underground systems. That means they will spend money twice. We
hope not to do the same thing in Jakarta," Bambang said.

Why a subway ?

Siregar explained there are several alternative modes of
transportation for a mass rapid transit system. Among these are
heavy mass rapid transit systems, such as the subway, and light
rapid transit systems, such as the elevated train network.

The urban area defined as Greater Jakarta is spreading to
encompass an ever larger expanse of suburbs, Siregar said. The
existing transportation system, which employs big buses,
minibuses, taxis and ojek motorcycle cabs cannot accommodate
residents living in the border areas. Moreover, poor management,
lack of good service, security and punctuality have discouraged
people, mostly from the middle and upper segment of society, from
utilizing public transportation.

Instead, they use privately owned cars to reach their working
places. As a result, the number of automobiles in Jakarta rose
sharply from approximately 8.3 million in l989 to 10.5 million in
l994 (or an annual growth of 15 percent), compared to the
additions to the city's streets, which expand only 4 percent
annually.

Public transportation vehicles account for only 2.7 percent of
the total number of automobiles in Jakarta. Data show that the
city currently has only 9,000 buses of all sizes, 18,000 taxis,
and 6,000 mini vans, which transport at least 4.5 million
commuters, or 57 percent of the total populace, daily.

In anticipation of continued rapid growth of the population, a
mass rap[id transit system is a must, Siregar said.

He suggested that Jakarta operate a heavy mass rapid transit
system rather than a light one, like elevated electric trains.

He explained that nowhere in the world are elevated electric
trains able to transport millions of passengers within a limited
time. Moreover, the construction of additional railway tracks in
the city's center would present a complicated problem.

Cost

Bambang commented that theoretically the construction of a
subway is very expensive. "But, we should not only think about
the construction cost. This system has long-term direct and
indirect advantages.

"We should not hesitate to adopt any hi-tech system already
used in foreign countries although it will be more expensive,"
Bambang said.

In term of technology, he acknowledged that Indonesians are
not yet capable of constructing such a sophisticated form of
transportation system.

Siregar made his case for subways by setting out the costs and
benefits of the system in the form of data from foreign cities,
including Singapore, Calcutta, Seoul, Sao Paulo, and San
Francisco.

In Singapore, the construction of a subway cost around
US$112.28 million a mile in l987. In l984, Sao Paulo in Brazil
constructed a subway at $154.83 million a mile (or US$356.77
million in capital cost in constant l987 dollars). Los Angeles is
presently expanded its subway at a cost of $284 million a mile.

"The value of a subway project depends on the area of each
city. The more difficult it is, the more expensive the project
will be," Bambang said.

As for Jakarta, he said he could not yet estimate the cost
because the existing proposals have yet to be approved.

He confirmed that the construction of a subway would take
years to complete.

For example, the construction of a subway from Blok M to Kota
-- one of the most likely routes -- has been estimated to take
five years because the project would include the construction of
infrastructure, such as underground stations and other
facilities.

"A subway is also an integrated project that involves various
agencies, so that any decision must be discussed at length and
compromises reached first," he added.