"Russia is interested in investing in West Java building sky way, which is much cheaper than building light rail transit (LRT)," Deddy Mizwar said here on Monday.
The proposal to build sky way came after the plan to build Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Bandung failed on financial difficulty, Deddy said, adding fund is not available both from regional budget, state budget and from investors.
The West Java administration, therefore, opens an opportunity for Russia to invest in sky way project, which is a product of transport technology, he said.
"Sky Way is much cheaper. Based on our calculation the cost is only one sixth of the cost of building LRT. As LRT and Sky Way could not be financed with regional and state budgets we have to rely on investors. Investment by the private sector is generally more efficient than the cost and the ticket price would be cheaper," he said.
He said the Sky Way projects the Russians offered to build is a mass transport carriage with hanging rail is already in operation in South Australia.
Apart from being cheaper compared to LRT, which needs high cost for land clearing, Sky Way is environmentally friendly and needs little land clearing.
Deddy said originally LRT project was expected to be financed with state budget but the central government had no fund for that.
The LRT project in the Greater Jakarta area is financed with state budget fund.
"Therefore, West Java opted for Sky Ways there is no investors interested in building LRT," he said.
Even in Jakarta there is no investors ready to build LRT, therefore, the government took over and finance its with city and state budget, he added.
He said the Sky Way, to be built in Bandung, will be at least 100 kilometers that the investment will be profitable for the investor and helpful for the people.
The Sky Way would also reach Padalarang, Cimahi, Soreang, and Jatinangor that it would greatly help ease traffic jams in highways.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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