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Terminal closure delay disrupts project schedule
Bigger things to come: Workers busy themselves on the site of the mass rapid transit (MRT) on Jl
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Bigger things to come: Workers busy themselves on the site of the mass rapid transit (MRT) on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman in Central Jakarta on Thursday. Construction is expected to be finished in 2018. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira) (MRT) on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman in Central Jakarta on Thursday. Construction is expected to be finished in 2018. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
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span class="inline inline-none">Bigger things to come: Workers busy themselves on the site of the mass rapid transit (MRT) on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman in Central Jakarta on Thursday. Construction is expected to be finished in 2018. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
City-owned mass rapid transit (MRT) operator PT MRT Jakarta has demanded the city administration close the Lebak Bulus bus terminal in South Jakarta to make way for construction.
'We are contractually bound and we have a tight project time line. The contractor needs the area to start the project construction,' MRT Jakarta finance director Tuhiyat said at his office in Central Jakarta on Thursday.
'We hope the terminal closure will be carried out by the end of this month at the very latest,' he added.
The city administration plans to close Lebak Bulus bus terminal to intercity buses, which will be relocated to other bus terminals in Kalideres, West Jakarta, and Pulo Gadung and Kampung Rambutan in East Jakarta.
The plan has been rejected by intercity bus workers, particularly ticket sellers, due to fears of possible decreased incomes and unhealthy business competition with existing operators in the new terminals.
MRT Jakarta construction director M. Nasyir said the delay had affected the construction schedule.
'We should have started the work in early January. The contractor needs to clear the area to do pre-construction work, including soil tests, and to make way for heavy equipment,' he said, adding, 'we have a very tight deadline, so one delay affects other work'.
Nasyir pointed out that the company would complete administrative work while waiting for the terminal closure.
Separately, Jakarta Transportation Agency head Udar Pristono acknowledged that any further delay would have several consequences.
'The project is financed by a foreign loan in a government-to-government scheme. Any delay will definitely affect the project financing,' he said at Jakarta Police headquarters.
Even though the city disseminated the plan to close the terminal to intercity buses a year ago, Udar said his agency needed more time to negotiate with parties opposing the closure.
'We need to cool down the situation,' he cited.
Meanwhile, Governor Joko Widodo declined to set a deadline for the terminal closure.
'I am aware of such a request, but I can't set a date yet. I have called on the Small and Medium Enterprises Agency, the Public Order Agency and all other relevant agencies to work together,' he said.
He confirmed that the city planned to help street vendors affected by the relocation but declined to elaborate on the details.
The city also plans to demolish the Lebak Bulus Stadium to enable the construction of an MRT station and a depot, which is designed to house up to 90 trains.
The new Lebak Bulus terminal will serve Transjakarta buses, inner-city public minivans and the MRT.
The first MRT line, which will connect Lebak Bulus and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, will have six underground stations and seven elevated stations, with the capacity to carry 173,000 passengers per day. The first phase of the MRT project will be funded with a ¥125 billion (US$1.19 billion) soft loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with another $143 million coming from the city budget.
The first MRT line is expected to start operating in 2017.
