T

he Jakarta administration has begun the final process of the tender for its first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line, worth Rp 15.5 trillion (US$1.72 billion).

Tribudi Rahardjo, president director of PT MRT Jakarta, said on Tuesday that the company had earlier this week invited bidding companies to attend a job description meeting in which the procurement committee explained the scope of work being auctioned and the bidding procedures.

Tribudi also said that the meeting was attended by representatives from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Institute for the Procurement of Government Goods and Services (LKPP).

“We have asked these institutions to safeguard the megaproject and also give suggestions,” he said.

The administration has also sought advice from the State Development and Finance Surveillance Agency (BPKP) to monitor the project.

The MRT project is estimated to cost a total of Rp 15.5 trillion, which will primarily be covered by a ¥120 billion ($1.46 billion) soft loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

KPK director for gratification Cahya Hardianto Harefa said that as a public service project, the MRT construction should be effective and efficient.

“The commission is calling all parties involved in this project to follow existing regulations and law,” Cahya said.

The tender auction for the project is targeted to result in a contract signing between October and November.

Contractors are expected to begin work as soon as contracts are signed.

The city administration is planning to begin preparation work for the project in April.

The preparation work would include widening the road on Jl. Fatmawati in South Jakarta, through which the MRT would pass, and the relocation of utility networks (phone lines, electricity cables, water pipes, sewers and fiber-optic lines) affected by the construction.

The first phase of the project, which comprises an MRT central station, a depot and a 15.7-kilometer line running from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta, is expected to be completed by Nov. 2016.

When it first begins operating, the MRT is expected to have a passenger capacity of 212,000 people per day, which will eventually be increased to 960,000 per day.

The second phase of the MRT project will see a second 8.1-kilometer MRT line running between the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle and Kampung Bandan in North Jakarta by 2018.