JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday launched the first elevated rail line for Greater Jakarta, hailing the US$2.13 billion (S$2.89 billion) project as a step towards easing the capital’s chronic road congestion and worsening air pollution.

The driverless, 41.2km Light Rail Transit (LRT) system connects central Jakarta and its satellite cities in West Java, Bekasi and Depok.

People in Greater Jakarta commonly use a 418km Commuter Line which serves around 1.2 million passengers per day.

Jakarta has been ranked among the world’s most polluted cities since May and earlier in August, topped the charts compiled by Swiss air-quality technology company IQAir.

The President blamed the pollution on excessive road traffic and industries using coal, adding that nearly one million vehicles enter Jakarta each day.

“Jakarta is always on the top 10 of list of cities with the worst traffic jams,” he said. “Traffic jams and pollution always exist in Jakarta.”

The capital, which has a population of more than 10 million, is also served by an existing, 16km underground mass rapid transport line that connect the southern areas to downtown Jakarta.

Indonesia has started building a new city on Borneo island called Nusantara to replace congested Jakarta as the capital of South-east Asia’s biggest economy. The project, which has no timeframe for completion, is a key part of the President’s legacy as he prepares to leave office in 2024. REUTERS