4-8-2023 (JAKARTA) The launch of Indonesia’s long-awaited Greater Jakarta Light Rail Transit (LRT) megaproject has been delayed once again due to the discovery of several issues, with authorities now aiming to prioritize safety. Originally scheduled for August 18 after multiple previous delays, the launch date has been pushed back following the advice of President Joko Widodo.
Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi stated that President Widodo suggested proceeding with a successful trial before officially operating the Greater Jakarta LRT system. As a result, the megaproject may be launched on either August 20 or August 30. The LRT system is set to cover a 44-kilometer line with three tracks, serving the Greater Jakarta region, which includes Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi.
President Widodo emphasized the need to prioritize safety and not rush the opening of the LRT to the public. He acknowledged that, being Indonesia’s first fully homegrown infrastructure project, initial operational challenges might arise, and he urged understanding in such cases.
The LRT trains were locally manufactured by state-owned producer INKA, with construction handled by state-owned firm Adhi Karya. The government involved experienced consultants and adhered to applicable standards during the design of the LRT, according to Minister Budi.
Aditya Dwi Laksana, Chairperson of the Indonesia Transportation Society (MTI) Railway and Intercity Transportation Forum, expressed that the delay is not a problem as long as safety and smooth operation are prioritized over meeting the independence day celebration on August 17, which was the previous target for launch.
The latest delay adds to a series of previous postponements. The LRT was initially scheduled to begin operations last year, then postponed to June of this year, and subsequently delayed again to August 5 for a limited public trial run.
The latest issues leading to the postponement included a design error in the bridge connecting the LRT track. Deputy State-Owned Enterprises Minister Kartika Wirjoatmodjo revealed the problem in a mistakenly streamed YouTube video. He noted that the bridge in Kuningan connecting to Gatot Subroto Street was poorly designed, resulting in a narrow track that slows down the trains.
Additionally, all 31 trains for the LRT system had different specifications, leading to an unexpected increase in the software cost as Siemens, the company responsible for the project software, needed to accommodate the variety of specifications.
The Greater Jakarta LRT project initially incurred a cost overrun of 29.9 trillion rupiah (approximately US$1.97 billion), which later increased to 32.5 trillion rupiah. The state covered 2.6 trillion rupiah of the overrun using the 2021 State Budget.
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