Airin Wants The Jakarta-Tangerang MRT Project To Become A National Strategic Project

JAKARTA - South Tangerang Mayor Airin Rachmi Diany is pushing the Jakarta MRT project to South Tangerang to become a national strategic project (PSN) so that its progress can be accelerated immediately.

"We are still trying to get into the national strategic program. So when you enter, there is usually an acceleration, ”said Airin on the sidelines of the 2020 Jabodetabek Transportation Master Plan Coordination Meeting (RITJ) in Jakarta, Tuesday, February 4.

He also agreed with the scheme presented by the Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi regarding Government Cooperation with Business Entities (PPP).

"The concept that was conveyed by the Minister, we agreed with the PPP because it had so much funding and so on. "Hopefully, when it is included in the national strategic program, assistance from Bappenas, Ministry of Finance, PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur PII and others can be provided," said Airin.

Currently the progress of the MRT project to South Tangerang, said Airin, has carried out a pre-feasibility study by PT MRT Jakarta and the results have been handed over to the Jabodetabek Transportation Management Agency.

"Then the hope is there is a follow-up. "There will be several stages before the PPP and later they are included. Usually there is a regulation that for the construction of the MRT it is included in the national strategic program," he said.

Airin admitted that his party was still following the regional government's decision, because the project involved the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government and the Banten Provincial Government.

"We just go along because there are two boundaries between Jakarta and South Tangerang, there are two provinces of Jakarta and Banten. We are waiting for the PJPK (Person in Charge of Cooperation Projects). If the city government is happy, we will wait from the Ministry of Transportation, ”he said.

Meanwhile, the planned routes to be traversed by the MRT in South Tangerang include Lebak Bulus-Ciputat-Pamulang-Puspitek-Rawa Buntu.

However, said Airin, the route could still change in line with the results of the feasibility study that will be carried out. "It is still pre-FS. Later it will be continued with the FS and see what is needed and what is the best it will develop later. Including, land acquisition will be discussed according to the financial capacity of each region, "he said.

On the same occasion, To further encourage the acceleration of transportation development in Jabodetabek, the Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi invited the private sector to participate in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

"We are currently taking the initiative to create PPPs that involve the private sector to develop transportation," he said.

One of the things that can be cooperated with the private sector is the MRT Jakarta Phase II project which is targeted to be completed in 2023. “That's why we are setting the plan more concretely so that investors can be interested. Because the funds can be obtained if there is cross subsidies. Say a large TOD (transit-oriented area) should provide subsidies for the development of its infrastructure, "he said.

Budi mentioned that the cost needed for the East-West MRT route is around Rp. 20 trillion.