TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will inaugurate the start of Light Rail Transit (LRT) project destinations Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-Bekasi on Wednesday. The LRT is expected to transport 24,000 passengers per hour per direction each day.

“LRT is a rail-based mass transportation mode that is environmental friendly. The construction is done elevated on a land above toll and non-toll roads,” said PT Adhi Karya Director Kiswodarmawan.

Adhi Karya has been appointed by the president to work on the project. They will build 6 traces of LRT lanes measuring 83.6km from East Bekasi, Cibubur, until Grogol for the second phase. Today’s first groundbreaking phase will cover traces for Cibubur-Cawang, Bekasi-Cawang, and Cawang-Dukuh Atas measuring 42.1km.

“The elevated construction allows land acquisition to a minimum while optimizing government land,” said Kiswodarmawan.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in 2018, while the second phase will begin in the final quarter of 2016 and completed by the end of 2018. The LRT is planned to be operated in six traces with six sets per day with an average speed of 60-80km/h. The use of aelectrical power is similar to a conventional electric train that requires 1,500 volts.

In order to fund the project, Adhi Kaya has recieved the state capital participation worth Rp1.4 trillion. The company plans to publish a right issue with a target capital of Rp1.35 trillion. The rest will be sought through a consortium loan. The total cost for this project is a tremendous Rp23.817 trillion.

KHAIRUL ANAM