J

akarta Governor Anies Baswedan has announced a plan to extend the light rapid transit (LRT) service from the Velodrome station in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, all the way to Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta, despite the commuter line and Transjakarta buses already serving the same area.

The city administration plans to initially develop an LRT service connecting the Velodrome station with Dukuh Atas, Central Jakarta. This first phase of the project will span 5.8 kilometers and have six stations from Velodrome station to Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

The first phase is expected to be completed in July next year, in time for the Asian Games.

Anies and Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno had come up with the idea of extending the service to Tanah Abang in the second phase of the project, an executive of city-owned construction company Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro) said.

Sandiaga said the extension would be part of the planned transit-oriented development (TOD) in Tanah Abang.

While Tanah Abang was currently served by two modes of transportation, the LRT service would make Tanah Abang a “true TOD” spot, he said.

Jakpro president director Satya Heragandhi said the company supported Anies and Sandiaga’s plan to extend the service, as doing so would help commuters visit the commercial center of Tanah Abang.

Tanah Abang is considered the biggest textile market in Southeast Asia.

“This shows the administration’s favor of residents’ economic hub, as opposed to the Dukuh Atas area, which will mostly serve white-collar commuters,” Satya said.

Dukuh Atas is set to become an integrated transportation hub connecting the existing
commuter line and Transjakarta bus network with the planned LRT and the MRT stations in the area.

The depot might be built besides or in front of Block G of the Tanah Abang Market.

The distance between Velodrome and Tanah Abang is around 11.6 km, and the construction of each kilometer would cost about Rp 550 billion, Satya said.

Financing the project may be challenging, as the city administration has decided to reduce the capital injection for Jakpro in next year’s city budget to Rp 2.2 trillion from the previously budgeted Rp 3.3 trillion.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Transportation Agency deputy head Sigit Wijatmoko said the administration was discussing the plan with the Transportation Ministry’s Directorate General of Railways (DJKA).

“[The DJKA] supports the plan, but we still need to have some technical discussions,” Sigit said.

Jakarta Transportation Council (DTKJ) member Tory Damantoro questioned the extension plan, given the existing commuter line and Transjakarta services in Tanah Abang. The plan seemed to be driven by political rather than technical concerns, he said.

“Modes of public transportation in Tanah Abang might be competing instead of synergizing with one another if this plan is implemented,” he said.

The administration would also have to spend more money on the Public Service Obligation (PSO) for the LRT service, while currently it was spending much on Transjakarta, he said.

Institute for Transportation Studies (Instran) researcher Deddy Herlambang, meanwhile, said the planned LRT service extension would help lift the burden off Dukuh Atas.

The airport train, which is set to start running soon, will use the commuter line tracks, so the operations of commuter line trains from Tanah Abang to Manggarai in South Jakarta would be affected, Deddy said.

The airport train is designed to serve 82 round-trips per day initially, but the number will gradually be increased to 124 trips.

“The LRT Tanah Abang service could be an alternative for passengers so they would not be packed in Dukuh Atas,” he said.