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Short-distance LRT may fail to impress
Model city: Visitors visit the LRT City booth during the Indonesia property Expo held at the Jakarta Convention Center on Monday
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odel city: Visitors visit the LRT City booth during the Indonesia property Expo held at the Jakarta Convention Center on Monday. (JP/David Caessarre)
Despite delays, the sprawling capital city is just an inch away from having a modern mode of public transportation, as the light rapid transit (LRT) has gone through a trial run and is scheduled to officially begin operations early next year. But given its short routes, will it convince people to leave their private vehicles at home to run errands in the city?
Passengers who tested the service during the one-month trial run that lasted until Sept. 14 lauded the new facility.
Marissa Yudhiarini, 29, described the experience as “exciting” and said she was “touched” to learn that Jakarta was close to having a modern rail-based transportation system. However, the housewife, who usually gets around the city in her own car, said the service might not be her first option for daily mobility.
“Only if the service could reach a wider coverage [would I] reduce the use of private cars,” the resident of Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.
The first phase of the service spans 5.8 kilometers connecting Rawamangun in East Jakarta and Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta. Commercial operation is now expected to commence at the beginning of 2019, after the initial target to launch in August, in time for the 2018 Asian Games, was missed.
The service is part of the government’s years-long plan to ease congestion in Jakarta, a city with more than 4.4 million registered cars and 13 million motorcycles. The government’s other modern rail-based transportation project, which is also under construction, is the 15.7-km MRT connecting Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.
Developed by city-owned PT Jakarta Propertindo (JakPro), it is aimed at attracting middle-class and well-off families in the vicinity known for its relative affluence.
The month-long LRT trial drew 10,100 passengers, according to data from PT LRT Jakarta, which operates the service. During the trial, members of the public were allowed to test the service from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“We are confident that we will be able to serve 10,000 passengers per day. The public’s enthusiasm is extraordinary,” said PT LRT Jakarta president director Allan Tandiono.
He said he expected the service to reduce by around 5,000 the number of private vehicles heading toward the city center every day from the areas of Kelapa Gading, Pulomas and Kayu Putih.
However, there are concerns that the short distance of the service may not be attractive for commuters, who currently rely heavily on their own cars or ride-hailing services.
The start of the second LRT construction phase is also still uncertain, after the Jakarta Council’s budget committee rejected a request for Rp 2.3 trillion (US$155 million) in additional funds for JakPro during a meeting on the revised city budget last week. Councilors had demanded a clearer plan from the city administration and the developer on the planned project.
Citra S. Sultan, 30, a resident of Cakung, East Jakarta, was impressed with the modern and sophisticated touch, both of the LRT trains and stations.
However, the photographer, who often relies on commuter trains and the Transjakarta bus service, said many things still needed to be done to lure daily commuters. “I have yet to see any other available public transportation service at Velodrome Station,” she said.
Citra also noted that the planned fare of Rp 10,800 per trip was unattractive.
“People may prefer motorcycle taxis for that short distance,” she added.
Allan said his office had had talks with the Transjakarta operator to integrate the two services.
Tory Damantoro, a transportation expert from the Jakarta Transportation Council (DTKJ), however, expressed doubt that the integration could be well implemented without goodwill from the city-owned enterprises, given that the idea of integration had been around for a long time but with no sign of improvement.
“This is also a warning for the Jakarta administration to immediately establish a body that will manage and oversee the integration between public transportation operators to avoid swollen subsidies,” he said.
