Japan commits to continue funding for expansion of Jakarta MRT

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Japan has committed to continue funding for the expansion of the Jakarta mass rapid transit (MRT) east-west line project, whose groundbreaking is slated for August 2024, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi informed on Saturday.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) held a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday to discuss a range of topics, including the construction of the east-west line of the MRT and other economic issues.

“The President also encouraged the construction of the north-south line phase 2A and 2B to be completed on time,” Marsudi said at an online press briefing.

The 16-kilometer north-south MRT corridor stretches between Lebak Bulus and the HI Roundabout. It transports as many as 100 thousand passengers daily.

The Jakarta MRT network is being expanded with a 15.7-km line stretching from HI Roundabout to West Ancol. The project has been divided into two phases: 2A and 2B.

Phase 2A of the Jakarta MRT extension is underway. It will connect HI Roundabout and Kota.

Phase 2B, which will link Kota and Ancol, will begin in due time. The President is optimistic that the MRT Phase 2 connecting HI Roundabout and Ancol will become fully operational by 2027.

The MRT Jakarta east-west line will stretch 84.1 km and connect Banten’s Balaraja to West Java’s Cikarang.

The project will likely be funded through a co-financing scheme with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

JICA is a Japanese government agency focused on providing official development assistance to developing countries, including financial assistance for development projects in partner countries as well as loans for infrastructure projects.

Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said last February that the financial commitment of JICA to Indonesia had reached 551 billion yen (US$3.87 billion).

ADB country director, Indonesia, Jiro Tominaga, informed in a press briefing on Friday that the bank is in active discussions with the Indonesian government on support for the Jakarta MRT expansion. He said that the bank will work with JICA to discuss financing loans for the construction of the MRT east-west line.