Tree-tier system will not harm public: Surjadi

JAKARTA (JP): The municipality guaranteed yesterday that land appropriation for the Rp 6.05 trillion (US$2.48 billion) three- tiered transit system would not harm the public.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said land appropriation plans for the project, which would connect Bintaro in South Jakarta to downtown Kota, West Jakarta, would be based on the presidential decree and city regulations.

The three-level system will include an elevated toll road, a light rail transit and artery roads.

He said it would be difficult to prevent land appropriation in such a huge project.

"The most important matter is that it would not disadvantage the public," he said.

The project will be built by a joint venture company, PT Citramoda Margakencana Persada. The company consists of PT Citra Lamtoro Gung Persada -- owned by Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana -- the state-owned railway company Perumka and the state-owned highway corporation PT Jasa Marga.

The project, scheduled to start construction in December in Bintaro, South Jakarta, is expected to be completed by 2001.

The city's assistant secretary on economic and development affairs, Prawoto S. Danoemihardjo, said earlier that a team had been set up to handle land appropriation for the project.

He said the team would start discussing land appropriation details next week.

"We expect land appropriation for the project will be completed in July," Prawoto was quoted by Pos Kota daily as saying.

The team included personnel of the National Land Agency, the Ministry of Transportation, PT Jasa Marga (the state-owned highway corporation), the Ministry of Public Works' Directorate General of Highways, Perumka and Citra Lamtoro Gung Persada.

The amount to be paid for land compensation has not yet been determined, he said.

"But compensation would likely be based on the city-set land value (in the area)," Prawoto said.

He said the company would avoid protest with those affected by the project.

The project will include 23.65 kilometers of toll road and 22 kilometers of light rail transit. The transit will have 20 stops, four main stations and 16 smaller ones.

The main stations will be located in Ulu Jami, Kebayoran Lama, Blok M -- all in South Jakarta -- and Kota.

The light rail transit will ply two routes: Bintaro-Kebayoran Lama-Kota and Bintaro-Kebayoran Lama-Blok M-Kebayoran Lama-Kota. The light rail transit is designed to carry 12,000 passengers an hour.

The company proposed fares of Rp 1,800 for light rail transit and Rp 6,500 to Rp 10,000 for toll roads. It also requested a concession period of 50 years, excluding the four-year construction period.

Besides the three-tier system, a US$1.5 billion subway project connecting Blok M-Kota is also being planned to ease the city's traffic. (ste)