TEMPO.CO, South Tangerang - South Tangerang Mayor Benyamin Davnie responded to the recent talks on a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) transportation project connecting the capital city of Jakarta and South Tangerang City. Benyamin raised objections to the utilization of Regional Budget or APBD funds for this project.

The discourse surrounding the MRT project has resurfaced several years after the city administration initially proposed it, and Benyamin stated that his side would welcome the project with open arms.

“In principle, this aligns with our proposal to the Transportation Minister several years ago; an MRT that crosses South Tangerang. In fact, we had already proposed the route,” Benyamin said on Monday, April 22.

He claimed that he remained unaware of the details of the project development plans and hoped for further discussions, moreover, regarding budget issues.

The construction budget for the MRT would undoubtedly be substantial, and Benyamin claimed that the regional budget would be unable to support it. It will definitely be huge, maybe Rp15 to 20 trillion. The South Tangerang's regional budget is only Rp4.6 trillion, and that's all for the people of South Tangerang. It (the MRT project) will be a bit heavy for us,” he said.

Benyamin also hoped that there would be a meeting with the Jakarta Provincial Government regarding the MRT project region considering the agglomeration of Jakarta and South Tangerang, which has become a unified development concept.

MUHAMMAD IQBAL

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