The construction of MRT East-West Line Phase 1 Stage 1 is officially started, Wednesday (9/11). The activity that was attended by President Joko Widodo, was run at the integration point between the North-South MRT Line (HI Roundabout-Ancol Marina) and the East-West MRT Line (Cikarang-Balaraja), Jalan MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta.

to realize Jakarta as a global city and agglomeration

President Joko Widodo said that the MRT Phase 1 has served 120 million passengers since first operation in March 2019. MRT has changed the public transportation in Jakarta to be better.

"Now we are still in the process of building phase 2A from HI to Kota. We want to expand its reach for East-West Line Phase 1 as an effort to realize Jakarta as a global city and agglomeration through modern transportation," said Joko Widodo, as quoted from Jakarta Provincial Government's press release.

Meanwhile, Acting Jakarta Governor, Heru Budi Hartono, appreciated all ranks of Jakarta Provincial Government and the role of the central government for supporting the MRT East-West Line Phase 1 Stage 1.

He also appreciated the synergy with the Japanese Ambassador for the Republic of Indonesia, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia for Japan, the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia, the Ministry of Finance, and PT MRT Jakarta.

"We hope that the ease of providing public transportation infrastructure that supports the development of Jakarta based on transit or Transit Oriented Development can be realized well through this synergy," Heru said.

Heru added that the MRT East-West Line Phase 1 Stage 1 construction will be started from Medan Satria up to Tomang along 24.5 kilometers. This route is equipped with 21 stations; elevated stations and underground stations.

PT MRT Jakarta Director, Tuhiyat, stated, MRT East-West Phase 1 Stage 1 that connects Cikarang-Balaraja is targeted to operate in 2031.

His side estimates 284,000 passengers per day to use this train.

"Our current location is at the intersection of Jalan Thamrin and Jalan Kebon Sirih or between the East-West Line and the North-South Line. MRT East-West Line Phase 1 has 27 stations along 31 km," he stated.

Moreover, Phase 2A Bundaran HI-Kota has seven underground stations with first station is Thamrin Station and second is Kota Station. Total length of Thamrin Station is 470 meter with 20.3 meter of width.

The concourse level where the project is being implemented, he explained, is at depth of around nine meters with a total depth up to the platform level in the lower area, around 16 meters from ground level.

"The platform depth for the East-West Line at this position is about 26 meters from the ground level. It means that the East-West Line is deeper than the North-South Line tunnel," he added.

The launching was attended by the Indonesian Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yasushi Masaki, and the Indonesian Ambassador to Japan Heri Ahmadi, as well as the ranks of the Jakarta Provincial Government.

The construction of the MRT is funded by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through co-financing with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Ministry of Transportation as the Executing Agency, and the Jakarta Provincial Government as the Implementing Agency and PT MRT Jakarta (Perseroda) as the Sub-Implementing Agency.

Meanwhile, the construction of 800 meters in the Bekasi area is financed through a grant from the Central Government and its operation is mandated to the Jakarta Provincial Government, through the Public Service Obligation (PSO).