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number of public utility networks will be relocated during the early stages of the construction work on Jakarta’s first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) track early next year, which is likely to cause a disruption of public services around the affected areas.

Tribudi Rahardjo, president director of city-owned PT MRT Jakarta, said on Thursday the construction would affect phone lines, electricity, water pipes, sewers and fiber optics lines.

“Coordinating with parties responsible for the utility networks is currently one of our main hindrances in the project,” Tribudi told reporters at City Hall.

The company expects that all affected utility networks will be relocated by March next year, as the MRT construction is planned to begin in June.

Construction on the first stage of a 15.7-kilometer MRT project linking Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta is expected to be completed in 2016.

The first track will go through areas including Fatmawati, Cipete, Blok A, Blok M, Kebayoran Baru in South Jakarta and commercial districts along Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta.

Tribudi said the company had been coordinating with water company PT PAM Jaya, power firm PT PLN and telecommunication provider PT Telkom.

“We have begun having bi-weekly meetings with representatives from these companies at the Public Works Agency office,” he said.

Heru Nugroho, head of the structural and civil engineering division at PT MRT Jakarta, said that the areas most affected by the public utility network relocation would be those where MRT stations would be constructed.

“Especially communication lines such as fiber optics lines. These lines are owned by many private communications providers; we have to coordinate with them also,”

The first MRT track will have six underground stations and seven above-ground stations along the route.

The six underground stations will be at Al-Azhar mosque, Senayan, Bendungan Hilir, Setiabudi, Dukuh Atas and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle. Seven elevated stations will be built in Lebak Bulus, Fatmawati, Cipete Raya, H. Nawi, Blok A, Blok M and Sisingamangaraja.

Heru also said that the construction was expected to disrupt traffic along the route.

“We have talked with the Jakarta Transportation Agency and have prepared a number of traffic rerouting scenarios during the construction period,” he said.

The construction was not expected to reduce the number of open road lanes, he added.

MRT project, which is projected to cost Rp 15.5 trillion (US$1.81 billion), will be mostly paid for by a ¥120 billion ($1.56 billion) soft loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

When it first opens, the MRT is expected to have a passenger capacity of 212,000 passengers per day, which will eventually be increased to 960,000 per day, with the 15.7-kilometer distance expected to be covered in under 30 minutes.

The MRT is planned to become part of an integrated mass transportation system connecting the Transjakarta Busway and the Greater Jakarta commuter train network, which is expected to accommodate 60 percent of the total trips made by Jakartans.

Administration data showed that approximately 20.7 million trips were made per day on average in Jakarta in 2008, 15 percent more than the 17.5 million per day in 2004.