Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Light Rail Transit (LRT) for Jakarta, Bogor, Depok and Bekasi (Jabodebek) or Greater Jakarta will begin operation in June 2023, President Director of state-owned construction company PT Adhi Karya (Persero) Entus Asnawi Mukhson stated.

"From the results of our discussions with relevant parties, it is hoped that in June next year (2023), it will start operating," Mukhson remarked during a hearing with Commission XI of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) and the Ministry of Finance here Tuesday.

Currently, physical construction of the project has reached 96 percent. However, the company is seeking certainty regarding the safety of passengers.

“Until now, 96 percent of the physical work has been completed. However, because this is driverless and to ensure the safety, there are additional (requirements) from various parties," he remarked.

The LRT is operated with the level three Grade of Automation (GoA), or without a driver, which will be the first to be applied to the railway system in the country.

LRT's operations and controls will be conducted through a system in the 11-hectare depot unit located in East Bekasi.

The train will have a 44-kilometer (km) line with three tracks: East Bekasi - Cawang, Cibubur - Cawang, and Cawang - Dukuh Atas.

The contract value for the train project amounts to Rp23.3 trillion, with a financing pattern of Rp4.2-trillion payment made at the end and Rp19.1 trillion in payment made over a three-month period.

"Hence, it is more or less (project budget) of Rp500 billion per kilometer," he remarked.

The Ministry of Transportation has revised the Commercial Operation Date (COD) target for the Jabodebek LRT to be in the first half of 2023, from the previous target this year.

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Translator: M Heriyanto, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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