Jakarta MRT construction faces another delay

Tifa Asrianti , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Wed, 06/04/2008 10:14 AM
City

Construction of the planned mass rapid transit (MRT) system for Jakarta is likely to be postponed, due to delays in approving a bylaw for the project at the City Council.

The council was scheduled to pass the MRT bylaw in early May, but three political parties have asked more for more time to consider the proposal.

Deputy Speaker Maringan Pangaribuan said Tuesday there were three factions who wanted further information about the technical aspects of the MRT project, as they had not completely understood the explanation provided by the administration.

However, he said technical matters would be discussed after a city-owned company in charge for MRT was established -- which would take place when the planned bylaw was passed.

The three factions were the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Mandate Party (PAN), he said.

"They want one week to study the MRT's technical aspects. PAN, for example, has 12 questions on their list. They want to know about the underground and utility network and other technical aspects," he said.

"We decided to give the factions time, until Wednesday morning. If they still refuse it, we'll form a consultative committee to decide the plenary session," he said.

"There are four factions supporting and three opposed to the MRT bylaw. If the deadlock continues, we'll carry out voting in the plenary session," he added.

In an effort to overcome Jakarta's chronic traffic woes, the administration and the central government are working on the project, which was estimated to cost Rp 8.3 trillion (US$902 million). The money for the MRT is being sourced through loans from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, with an interest rate of 0.4 percent per annum.

The central government will pay for 42 percent of the loans, while the administration will cover the remainder.

The administration also plans to allocate Rp 85 billion in subsidies for MRT operations in 2015, when the system is in place.

"The investors and central government will arrange MRT's design engineering. The city-owned company will be transparent," Maringan said.

In the first phase of development, expected to begin in 2010, railway lines will be installed stretching 14.3 kilometers from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta.--JP