"We will build tunnels in three locations. Hopefully, the construction can start within this year," the governor noted.
However, he explained that the work on these underground tunnels will not be finished in a short period of time due to the complexities involved in their construction. He expressed hope that the new underground crossing tunnels will help in reducing the number of traffic accidents in Jakarta.
Related government officials are still assessing the costs involved in constructing the tunnels.
The plan to build underground crossing tunnels is among the other infrastructure projects being planned by the Jakarta government to ease transportation in the capital city.
Earlier, according to publicly traded construction company PT Adhi Karya Tbk, the construction of Jakartas monorail project linking Bekasi-Cawang and Cibubur-Cawang will start in 2015 and is scheduled to be completed by 2017.
Construction of the Jakarta Link Transportation (JLT) will start in April 2015, although it yet awaits the presidential regulation on monorail.
"With or without the presidential regulation, construction will start in April 2015, and it is to be completed in 2017," President of the state construction company Kiswodarmawan emphasized after recently attending a shareholders meeting.
Kiswodarmawan stressed that the presidential regulation only serves to facilitate realization as everything has been prepared.
Several requirements for the execution of the project, such as the ground plan and draft plan for execution as well as operational right, business license, construction license, and financial closing have been secured, he reiterated.
"All licenses and approvals from the regulator have to be secured in the next year," he added.
The presidential regulation that is yet to be issued, will serve only as complement, as basically the monorail will be built under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme, he asserted.
"With the approval of the minister of state enterprises, the project can be implemented. This is a fact that we have to do," he stated.
The project is owned by a consortium of four state companies PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA), PT Lembaga Elektronika Negara (LEN), PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), and PT Jasa Marga Tbk.
Based on the project master plan, which has been drafted and submitted to the government, the project will cost around Rp8.3 trillion.
"Bank loans make up 70 percent of the cost with the consortium contributing the remaining 30 percent in cash." Kiswodarmawan noted.
The monorail will have at least 10 stations to be built in areas close to shopping centers, apartments, and office complexes, remarked Pundjung Setya Brata, a senior official of Adhi Karya.
Reporting by RR Cornea Khairani and editing by Amie Fenia Arimbi
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
