Jakarta (ANTARA) - Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Bambang Soesatyo has called for the acceleration of efforts to provide cheap, safe, and integrated public transportation between regions to ease traffic congestion and air pollution.

Soesatyo delivered the statement while accompanying President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to the inauguration of the Greater Jakarta (Jakarta - Bogor - Depok - Bekasi) Light Rail Transit (LRT) at Cawang LRT Station here on Monday.

"This (the LRT) is a major achievement of President Joko Widodo's administration. After the MRT (or Mass Rapid Transit was launched in 2019), at 78 years of independence, we can have the LRT that is cheap, safe, comfortable, and interconnected between regions," he said.

He explained that the LRT will cater to commuters and support the switch from private vehicles to mass transportation, which would help lower traffic congestion and air pollution.

Soesatyo said that the Greater Jakarta LRT has two lines: the Cibubur Line, which extends over a distance of 24.3 kilometers with stops at 12 stations, and the Bekasi Line, which runs for 27.3 km with stops at 14 stations.

Each train series can carry up to 1,308 passengers.

"The travel time with LRT is very fast because it is able to travel up to 80 km per hour. It only takes 43 minutes from Harjamukti Station to (reach) Jakarta, which is 24 km (away)," he informed.

He further said that the LRT has been integrated with or located near other public transportation stations or stops to support people's mobility significantly.

"For example, the location of the Dukuh Atas LRT Station is near the Sudirman Commuter Line (KRL) Station, the Dukuh Atas BNI MRT Station, the BNI City Railway Station, the Transjakarta bus stop, and various other modes of transportation," he explained.

He said the Halim LRT Station has been integrated with the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train station and is close to Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport.

Related news: Operation of LRT modernizes public transportation: Minister Sumadi
Related news: Public should switch to LRT to improve air quality: Minister









Translator: Hendri I, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023