The Jakarta Provincial Government is collaborating with the West Java Provincial Government and the Bekasi City Government to build the East - West MRT (East - West MRT/Cikarang - Jakarta - Balaraja) Phase 1 - Stage 1 (Tomang - Medan Satria). Marked by the signing of a joint agreement by Acting Governor of Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono with West Java Governor Ridwal Kamil, and Bekasi Acting Mayor Tri Adhianto Tjahyono at Gedung Sate Building, Bandung, West Java, Friday (2/17).

For the nation, state, and future generations

The joint agreement was carried out as a basis for supporting the improvement of safe, comfortable, reliable, and affordable urban mass public transport services not only in Jakarta but also in the buffer zones (Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi).

It also aims to realize cooperation and commitment to providing safe, comfortable, reliable, and affordable urban mass public transportation, which contributes to economic growth in improving people's welfare in the Greater Jakarta area.

Jakarta Acting Governor, Heru Budi Hartono mentioned that the MRT construction, which will begin in 2024, will have an indirect positive impact, namely changing people's habits to be more disciplined with time.

"If this is already running, it can change people's character that triggers habitat changes, how to transport, especially the way of discipline. See what time the MRT departs early, it means he/she must be disciplined. And then discipline comes naturally," he expressed, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

Then he also expressed his gratitude and asked for the willingness of the people of Bekasi and West Java to support this mass transportation program in the future.

"I want to say thank you to support these programs going forward. For the nation, state, and future generations," he continued.

West Java Governor, Ridwan Kamil explained this activity was carried out based on the direction of the President, Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo to begin the construction of the West to East MRT track.

"West starts from Banten in Balaraja, passes Jakarta in Tomang, then enters Bekasi and continues to Cikarang in the regency," he explained.

He then also conveyed his commitment to building MRT-based mass public transportation. According to him, this development would bring many benefits to the wider community.

"Hopefully, the process doesn't take long, so we hope that tens of thousands of Bekasi people who usually drive cars can switch to mass transportation to reduce stress, reduce economic burden, and make their economic area more developed because the movement is faster," he closed.