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View all search resultsJokowi to prioritize mass transportation, railroad projects outside Java
Joko Widodo (Yudhi Mahatma)President Joko âJokowiâ Widodo reiterated on Wednesday his policy of prioritizing infrastructure development, especially in providing mass transportation for the public
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Joko Widodo (Yudhi Mahatma) (Yudhi Mahatma)
Joko Widodo (Yudhi Mahatma)
President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo reiterated on Wednesday his policy of prioritizing infrastructure development, especially in providing mass transportation for the public.
'Indonesia is behind in terms of infrastructure, especially mass transportation. Therefore, I wish to speed up the development. We must start working on this, which has been neglected for so long,' Jokowi told a press conference during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Jokowi said that he had been planning on building the LRT for the past three years, but the project was stagnant and he did not know why.
Now that he is the President, he is making moves to start the project again, including by signing a Presidential Regulation (Perpres).
'After I signed the Perpres, I asked how soon can we start working on this? It turns out that we can start in a week,' said Jokowi.
Traffic congestion in Jakarta and the lack of transportation facilities in fringe areas have encouraged Jokowi to prioritize such developments.
A survey from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) said that 64 percent of Jakarta's incoming traffic came from Bekasi and Cibubur. This fact emphasizes the need for an LRT, which hopefully could connect commuters from Bekasi, Tangerang, Bogor and Depok to Jakarta's transportation network.
Jokowi also revealed other upcoming railroad projects outside Java.
'At the end of this month, I will start the construction of a railroad in Sulawesi. As for the railroad project in Papua, it's currently undergoing feasibility studies,' said Jokowi.
An official from the railroad directorate general, Sugiadi Waluyo, confirmed the projects.
'The contracts [for railroad construction] have been signed for the projects in Sulawesi as well as in Central Kalimantan,' Sugiadi told thejakartapost.com on Wednesday.
The railroad project in Sulawesi will connect Makassar and Pare-Pare and, as per Jokowi's request, around five kilometers will be developed prior to his arrival.
'The President wishes to see the early work of the project, so he has requested a few kilometers to be done beforehand,' said Sugiadi.
The government, according to Sugiadi, has allocated Rp 808 billion (US$56.66 million) for this year's construction. (rad/kes)(++++)
