New LRT system launched to ease traffic and pollution in Jakarta
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The driverless, 41.2km LRT system connects central Jakarta and its satellites cities in West Java, Bekasi and Depok.
PHOTO: AFP
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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 links 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
The President blamed the pollution on excessive road traffic and industries using coal, adding that nearly one million vehicles enter Jakarta each day, and pointing out that “Jakarta is always on the top 10 list of cities with the worst traffic jams”.
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 Mr Widodo’s legacy as he prepares to leave office in 2024. REUTERS
