Pramono says public transport users up 9.7 percent in Q2

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo said the number of people using public transport in the capital, such as TransJakarta, MRT and LRT, rose by around 9.7 per cent in the second quarter.

“The number of people using TJ, MRT and LRT reached 230.8 million in the second quarter, an increase of about 9.7 per cent,” Pramono said at Jakarta City Hall on Wednesday.

Beyond the growth in ridership, public transport connectivity in the capital has also continued to improve.

Pramono noted that at the start of his administration alongside Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno, public transport connectivity stood at only about 22 per cent. Today, connectivity in the capital has reached 93 per cent.

If the Pegangsaan Dua–Manggarai LRT route is inaugurated this August, he hopes the number of public transport users in the capital will rise even further.

“Hopefully this August the LRT will be inaugurated along the entire completed stretch from Pegangsaan, or Kelapa Gading, all the way to Manggarai. Hopefully it will be launched in August, and it will add to the connectivity we have in Jakarta,” he said.

Earlier, Pramono expressed his hope that public transport usage in the capital could rise above 30 per cent.

He believes that when fuel prices increase, the number of public transport users will grow accordingly.

In addition, he opened the door to adding new groups to the 15 categories entitled to free public transport in the capital.

According to him, the Jakarta Provincial Government will continue to promote the 15 free-ride categories to encourage residents to use public transport.

“We may well add more groups and make it free for them. That way the cross-subsidy is fairer: those who cannot afford it travel for free, while those who can afford it pay slightly more,” he said.