Jokowi Launches MRT Jakarta Tunnel Drilling Machine HI-Kota Roundabout

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo inaugurated the launch of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the construction of the MRT Jakarta Phase 2A. The launch was carried out at the Bundaran HI MRT Station.

The work on digging the MRT Jakarta Phase 2A tunnel is continuing the MRT phase 1 which has been operating since 2019.

"We know that in 2019 the construction has been completed and has been operating for phase 1 from Lebak Bulus to the Bundaran HI. And today, we will start from the Bundaran HI to the City", Jokowi said in the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube show, Thursday, February 24.

Jokowi revealed that MRT phase 2A consists of seven stations covering two segments, namely the first segment from the Bundaran HI Station to Harmoni Station and the second segment from Harmoni Station to City Station.

"There are seven stations that will be passed later, at Thamrin Station, then Monas Station, then Harmoni Station, Sawah Besar Station, Mangga Besar Station, and then Glodok Station, and City Station", he said.

The former governor of DKI Jakarta hopes that the construction of the Jakarta MRT line will continue until phase 2B and beyond.

"We hope that with the continuation of phase 2A, phase 2B can also be continued from the City to West Ancol", said Jokowi.

In addition, Jokowi instructed the relevant ranks to immediately complete a feasibility study (FS) on the east-west line. So Jakarta has modern and integrated transportation.

“Also, Fatmawati who came to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and her FS was immediately completed and executed immediately. So that DKI Jakarta really has a subway, has an MRT, has an LRT, has Transjakarta which is integrated with all existing modes", said Jokowi.

Meanwhile, PT MRT Jakarta President Director, William Sabandar, hopes that the existence of MRT public transportation can facilitate community mobility while reducing pollution in DKI Jakarta.

"We hope that traffic jams in Jakarta will decrease, people will use public transportation more, of course, Jakarta will go to a pollution-free city", he said.

During this launch, Jokowi was accompanied by the Minister of National Development Planning (PPN), Suharso Monoarfa, Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, Ambassador of Japan to Indonesia, Kanasugi Kenji, and Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan.