DPRD Predicts That The Manggarai Route For The Jakarta LRT Will Be Used More By Residents Outside Jakarta

Member of Commission B of the DKI DPRD from the PDIP faction, Gilbert Simanjuntak (Photo: dprd-dkijakartaprov.go.id)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission B of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Gilbert Simanjuntak, assessed that users of the Jakarta LRT mode who will later operate until Manggarai are mostly residents outside Jakarta. Meanwhile, until now the Jakarta LRT tariff of Rp. 5,000 is still subsidized through the APBD because it has an economic rate of tens of thousands of rupiah. "Subsidies for tickets to Manggarai will be enjoyed more than 70 percent by non-Jakarta residents except for being extended to Dukuh Atas," Gilbert told reporters, Tuesday, November 7. Therefore, Gilbert supports the DKI Provincial Government to continue the construction of the Jakarta LRT route to Dukuh Atas in the next few years. This will further increase the number of use of the Jakarta LRT, which is now empty of interest because it only has the Kelapa Gading-Velodrome route. "It has always been quiet because the lane is very short, automatically there are only passengers or users or riders, only segments are passed. In order for the ridership to increase, the route must be expanded," said Gilbert. Gilbert views that there will be no overlap of public transportation users such as KRL Commuter Line, MRT Jakarta, and LRT Jabodebek if the Jakarta LRT is continued until Dukuh Atas. "Each route is different. The Jabodebek LRT does not enter the Jakarta LRT area. The MRT is also different. This is the largest hub that connects between modes," said Gilbert. "It's better to connect. Maybe next year's APBD. Now it's agreed only until Manggarai," he continued. On Monday, October 30, the government officially laid the first stone or groundbreaking for the Jakarta LRT phase 1B with the route from Velodrome Station to Manggarai Station. The 1B phase Jakarta LRT has a 4.6 kilometer line span which has 5 stations, namely Rawamangun Youth Station, BPKP Scout Station, Matraman Station Scout Market Station, and Manggarai Station. Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono explained that the construction of the Jakarta Phase 1B LRT will all be completed for three years. By 2024, it is targeted that the LRT will be operational until the Scout Station. "Rawamangun-Pramuka is in position in September 2024, but until Manggarai in 2026," said Heru after the groundbreaking in the Velodrome Station area, East Jakarta, Monday, October 30. The work on the LRT was carried out by the BUMD PT Jakarta Propertindo. President Director of PT Jakpro Iwan Takwin said that the construction of the 1B phase of the Jakarta LRT cost Rp5.5 trillion, which includes construction costs of Rp4.6 trillion. "There are various things, construction costs, consultants, and others, so the total is IDR 5.5 trillion," said Iwan.

So far, as many as 6 LRT stations have operated with a length of 5.2 kilometers in phase 1, namely Pegangsaan Dua, North Boulevard Station, South Boulevard Station, Pulomas Station, Equestrian Station, and Velodrome Station. So, if phase 1B has been built, the Jakarta LRT has a route length of 12.2 kilometers with 11 stations ranging from Pegangsaan Dua Station to Manggarai Station. It is estimated that the journey from Pegangsaan Dua to Manggarai can be reached for 26 minutes.