Jakarta holds its breath ahead of launch of new MRT system
- The rail line is the latest of infrastructure improvements nationwide that officials hope will help the nation catch up with its neighbours
- It is hoped the subway system will improve transport in a city where people can take two or more hours to move 5km on the roads
Commuting in Indonesia’s gridlocked capital will for some involve less frustration, sweat and fumes when its first train line opens later this month.
The train line is the latest of infrastructure improvements nationwide that officials hope will help the giant but laggard nation catch up with its neighbours.
The 16km system running south from Jakarta’s downtown is the first phase of a development that if fully realised will plant a cross-shaped network of stations on the teeming city of 30 million people.
A US$2.4 billion elevated rail network linking Jakarta and its satellite cities is also taking shape, with the first stage expected to begin operating in April.
Congestion has relentlessly worsened in the past decade as car ownership rose, squeezing more vehicles onto Jakarta’s unchanging road network. Average peak hour speed has “significantly decreased” to 10km an hour, according to the transport ministry. It often can take two or more hours to move 5km in pockets of the city.