TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Light Rail Transit (LRT) Director Allan Tandiono said that the construction of Velodrome LRT Station is nearly completed. Allan targeted that the construction of five LRT stations along the route from the Velodrome to North Boulevard in Kelapa Gading will be finished by December 2018.

" The [Velodrome] station is over 90 percent completed, but the progress in general including the LRT depot in Kelapa Gading has reached 85 percent," said Allan at the Velodrome LRT Station in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, on Tuesday, August 21, 2018.

Tempo visited the Velodrome LRT Station on Wednesday, August 22, 2018. The station has two platforms. Based on Tempo's observation, the platform interior attached to the Velodrome bicycle arena has been completed.

However, construction work on 10-meter-high stairs linking the station and the platform across the Velodrome complex is still underway. Several workers are still tidying up the roof and other parts.

Allan mentioned that his office is currently waiting for a feasible certificate issued by the Transportation Ministry to conduct a public operation test. Thus, in the meantime, PT LRT will be conducting an internal operation test.

The operation test is carried out from August 15 to September 14, 2018. The trial, Allan added, is held every day from 2:00 AM to 5:00 PM, using two sets of LRT trains each consisting of four carriages.

Previously, public trial for the LRT Velodrome-Kelapa Gading route was scheduled on August 10, 2018. The plan was postponed due to lack of certification. Allan then rescheduled the test to August 15, 2018, but was again canceled and replaced with internal operation tests.

ADAM PRIREZA