TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta's Mass Rapid Transit company or MRT Jakarta will limit the operational hours of Ratangga train starting on Monday, March 23, during the emergency period of Covid-19, from 10:00 to 20:00.

"We’ll maintain 5-minute headway during the rush hours from 07:00 until 09:00 and from 17:00 until 19:00," MRT Jakarta CEO William Sabandar said in a live streaming at the City Hall Friday, March 20, adding that the headway outside of the rush hours, will be 10 minutes while monitoring the situation.

William said the number of MRT passengers jumped significantly following the social distance appeal for three days. On Tuesday, March 17, there were only 32,000 passengers from regularly 100,000 per day. It went further down to 28,000 on Wednesday and 24,000 on Thursday.

"We’re focusing on pushing for social distancing measure, while assuring a maximum service," he said.

The policy limits the number of MRT passengers on board of one car for only 60 people or 360 per train set of six cars. This is done to ensure the massive implementation of social distancing measure. "We call on the people using the MRT to keep minimum distance of 1 meter from another passenger." It even put marks on the train and entrance ways in order to follow suit with the policy.

According to William, his company has also done its best to manage a long line of passengers inside the station before entering the train.

During the Covid-19 mitigation, he calls on the public to not using MRT unless for urgent matters to avoid coronavirus transmission among the passengers.

MRT Jakarta fully supports the government’s policies that appeal the public to work, study, and perform religious worship at home during the Covid-19 emergency period.

Imam Hamdi