City to add underground route in MRT design

The city will build the underground route of the planned Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) starting from Al Azhar mosque on Jl. Sisingamangaraja in South Jakarta instead of Ratu Plaza shopping mall on Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta.

“The MRT underground route will start from Al Azhar. This is good in terms of spatial planning, so the route should be under the Pemuda Membangun statue,” Governor Fauzi Bowo said Tuesday.

Director of PT MRT Tribudi Rahardjo attributed the change to an aesthetic value, saying that it would be better not to see elevated construction along major thoroughfares.

He said the 900 meters of additional underground route from Al Azhar mosque to Senayan would cost around US$100 million, which would be discussed with the Japanese government.

Under the initial design, the route will start at Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta and pass through Jl. Fatmawati, Jl. Cipete Raya, Jl. Haji Nawi, Blok A, Blok M, Jl. Sisingamangaraja and Senayan. It will then head underground and stop at stations in Bung Karno Indoor Stadium, Bendungan Hilir and Setiabudi, before ending up at Dukuh Atas.

The long awaited MRT is expected to carry up to 340,000 passengers a day from Lebak Bulus to Dukuh Atas. It will take 28 minutes from Lebak Bulus to Dukuh Atas.



The city government targets to operate the MRT in 2016.


Source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/03/09/city-add-underground-route-mrt-design.html