Metro aims to break new ground in car-mad Qatar

Yahoo – AFP, David Harding, March 9, 2017

Construction site of a new metro line in Qatar's capital Doha (AFP Photo/
Karim Jaafar)

Doha (AFP) - Qatar's metro, once completed, will run hundreds of kilometres across ultra-modern Doha, along the coast and into its expanding suburbs. But whether car-mad Qataris will actually use it remains an open question.

Driverless three-car trains are to serve 100 stations, easing into gleaming newly-built destinations with names such as Ras Bu Fontas, Al-Shaqab and Legtaifiya.

Now the main task for those behind the approximately $18-billion project -- in a country where car is king -- is to ensure it draws enough passengers to justify the huge outlay.

"We are not a culture that is used to the metro, not like Europe," said Khaled Al-Thani, a civil engineer with Qatar Rail, the state-owned company responsible for the metro.

"This is all new for us."

The Doha Metro is a massive venture even by the standards of the energy-rich Gulf desert emirate where infrastructure mega-projects are commonplace.

Officials at Qatar Rail are cagey about terming it the world's biggest ongoing engineering project, preferring to call it one of the largest.

Since ground was broken in the summer of 2013, a workforce of 41,000 has been digging, tunnelling and building. Large tracts of land in Doha have been set aside for a network of tunnels and stations.

Tunnel boring world record

Qatar even set a world record for using 21 tunnel boring machines at the same time in November 2015, the highest number ever recorded.

Ninety percent of the metro will run underground when operational. The station designs have been approved by the emir himself, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

Qatar's metro, once completed, will run hundreds of kilometres across ultra-modern 

Doha, along the coast and into its expanding suburbs (AFP Photo/Karim Jaafar)

Qatar Rail says its target is to have completed 70 percent of the network by the end of 2017, with the opening due in late 2019 or early 2020.

"With metros in other developed countries, when they develop a metro they introduce a new line, but for us in Qatar, we're introducing a whole network system," said Khaled Al-Thani.

Probably the most symbolic part of the Doha Metro will be a station around 20 kilometres north of the capital.

Lusail, the final stop on the Red Line, will serve the $45-billion city emerging from the desert that will be the venue of football's 2022 World Cup final.

"We are actualising a vision," said Abdulla Abdul Aziz al-Subai, managing director of Qatar Rail.

Gridlocked Doha

The company has begun holding special classes for Doha residents to make them aware of the metro and to encourage them to use it.

"I'm very confident that the metro will be a hit," said Thani on an upbeat note.

"It takes me approximately one hour every day to go to work. So, with the metro you have a safe and dependable transportation to reach from point A to point B."

The target is to remove 190,000 cars a day off Doha's heavily congested roads.

A report from the Qatar Mobility Innovations Centre (QMIC) found that commuters spent an average of 109 hours in traffic on the country's roads in 2016.

That was an increase of seven hours over the previous year and equivalent to around $1.5 billion in losses for the Qatari economy, according to QMIC calculations.

Many question whether Qataris will swap their beloved cars for public transport, and say foreign workers -- as in Dubai -- are more likely to fill the carriages.

The country's population could rise to 3.6 million by 2031, from 2.6 million today, and Qatar Rail wants 1.65 million people at year to be using the metro by that time.

"To change this culture, it will take time," said Abdulla Alsayed Zahran, a manager with Qatar Rail.

JICA Loan For MRT On Track

The Jakarta Globe, Muhamad Al Azhari, March 26, 2009

The development of Jakarta’s long-delayed mass rapid transportation system, or MRT, appears to be gathering steam, with a Finance Ministry document revealing that Indonesia and the Japan International Cooperation Agency are set to sign a deal on Tuesday that would set aside 48.15 billion yen ($491 million) in low-interest loans for the project.

The deal represents part of JICA’s 120-billion-yen commitment to finance 85 percent of the transportation system, which the municipal government hopes would help solve the capital’s traffic problems.

The funds from JICA are being provided under the Special Terms for Economic Partnership, a soft loan scheme, and will be divided into four disbursements.

The first tranche, agreed to in June, amounts to 1.86 billion yen. On Wednesday, the central government gave 758 million yen as part of this tranche to the Jakarta administration to pay for consulting services and an equity stake in PT Mass Rapid Transport Jakarta, which will develop and operate the project.

“This grant shows the commitment of the central and local governments to develop infrastructure amid the global [financial] crisis,” Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said at a ceremony to mark the release of the grant to the Jakarta administration at the Finance Ministry’s headquarters.

“We expect this project will progress smoothly and that people will reap the benefits,” Fauzi added. “Having [the MRT] in our city is not just a dream. This is real and it should be available as soon as possible.”

The first part of the MRT is expected to link Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta with a 14.5 kilometer rail network built both underneath and above the ground.

The second part will connect Dukuh Atas to Kota, also in Central Jakarta, and the third will link East and West Jakarta. Both the second and third phases are still undergoing feasibility studies.

Unlike Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and other regional capitals, Jakarta has no subway or light-rail system, resulting in the city’s trademark traffic jams.

The idea of building an MRT system in Jakarta was first put forth in the 1980s. Former President Suharto’s government also pushed unsuccessfully for the project in 1995. The proposal was revived by former Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso in 2002, but it was not until 2006 that JICA and the government finally agreed on funding and logistics.

Another mass transport project, the Jakarta monorail, has been in limbo since financing fell through in late 2007.

And despite the recent progress on the MRT system, Jakarta residents may still have to wait a while.

Tenders for the project may not begin until the end of 2010, with construction not scheduled to start until early 2011. The system itself is expected to be operational by early 2016.

Related Article:

Finance Minister: People still waiting for MRT

DPD questions idle monorail, poor Transjakarta service

Triwik Kurniasari, THE JAKARTA POST, JAKARTA | Thu, 03/19/2009 3:03 PM

Councilors from the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) and members of the House of Representatives are urging the city administration to deal with the abandoned monorail project, as well as improve the Transjakarta bus service.

"It's *the monorail* been abandoned for years. What has happened to it? Is it still going to be a monorail or what?" said Marwan Batubara from DPD Jakarta Wednesday.

Wati Amir, a member of the House's Commission VII for energy, mineral resources and the environment, complained about monorail pillars disrupting traffic.

"I think the administration should do something about them. They are really annoying," said Wati.

Deputy Governor Prijanto said the administration was still trying to solve the problem with monorail developer PT Jakarta Monorel (JM).

"The State Development Finance Comptroller *BPKP* is still calculating the amount of money that has been put aside for this project," said Prijanto.

He said the administration could solve all the problems once it took over the monorail project.

"*If we can take over the project* we might remove the monorail pillars for the sake of drivers.

"We might also build another public transportation system to replace the monorail. It doesn't have to be a monorail," he said.

The future of the city's first ever monorail project is still unclear, as no agreement has yet been reached between the city administration and JM.

JM's contractor PT Adhi Karya has been pressing JM for compensation for the losses incurred when JM canceled monorail pillars along Jl. Rasuna Said and Senayan in South and Central Jakarta.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said the administration might take the case to court to settle the dispute.

Some councilors also queried the poor quality of the Transjakarta bus service and asked why corridors 9 and 10 remained unused.

"I often see a queue of Transjakarta bus passengers at some bus shelters during rush hour. They complained they were waiting too long because there were not enough buses," said Husein Abdul Aziz from the Democratic Party.- JP

Council gives nod to MRT deal

The Jakarta Post, Fri, 03/13/2009 2:54 PM   

The City Council has signalled it will give the Jakarta administration the go-ahead to sign an agreement with the government for US$450 million for the construction of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project. 

Syamsidar Siregar, from the council's Commission A on governance, said the council would scrutinize the agreement before making a formal decision. 

"We basically agree with the project, but we should be careful about receiving the loan. We want to know the details," she told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. 

"We want to know whether the loan might affect the city budget or not." 

She added councilors were afraid the government would renege on its responsibility to pay back the loan, thus putting the burden on the city administration instead. 

"We have learned from the past. There have been cases like that, and so we demand transparency on this project," she said. 

"We just want to make sure *the agreement* does not affect the city budget," said Syamsidar, adding the council would announce its decision this month. 

The development of the MRT in the capital will be funded by a four-loan package worth a total of 118 billion yen ($1.1 billion) from the Japanese government. 

The city administration will sign an agreement with the government to receive $450 million, which will be the second package in the loan deal. 

Some 4 billion yen of the 48.15 billion yen fund will be used to hire consultants, while the remainder will go toward construction, which is targeted to start in 2011. 

PT MRT Jakarta (MRTJ) corporate director Eddi Santosa said construction work was initially scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2010. 

"We hope to sign the $450 million loan agreement with the government by the end of March. But we first need the city council's approval to sign the agreement," he said. 

"The Transportation Ministry is working on the basic design, which will take about 12 months to complete. 

"Soon after the basic design is ready, we will hold a bidding process, which will take another five to six months." 

The 14.5-kilometer MRT route - linking Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta - is targeted to be completed within five years after the start of construction. 

The route will start at Lebak Bulus, pass through Jl. Fatmawati, Jl. Cipete Raya, Jl. Haji Nawi, Blok M, Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Senayan, Istora and Bendungan Hilir, and end at Setiabudi. 

Some 4 hectares of land will have to be acquired for the depot in Lebak Bulus. 

The administration has already allocated Rp 40 billion from its 2009 budget to acquire the land this year and to start construction work on the depot. 

- JP/ Triwik Kurniasari - JP

Abandoned monorail lines to be used for city MRT

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 11/26/2008 10:53 AM  

The city administration will use the abandoned monorail routes for its mass rapid transit (MRT) network. 

The east-west route is the monorail's blue line, which will link Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta to Roxy in West Jakarta. 

The administration is proposing the new route to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the MRT project advisor, in December. 

Governor Fauzi Bowo on Tuesday said a team of JICA experts would arrive in December to review the feasibility study for the North-South route, which spanned from Kota in West Jakarta to Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta. 

"The East route will link Kampung Melayu, Kali Malang and the planned bus terminal in Pulo Gebang, while the West route will probably link Kebon Jeruk and Tomang. The routes will meet at around Wisma Dharmala, Karet," Fauzi said. 

The stalled monorail project was planned with two routes, the green line and the blue line. PT Jakarta Monorail built some of the infrastructure required for the green line through South Jakarta's Kuningan business district and along Jl. Sudirman to Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta. 

The blue line was not built. 

"We will make some changes to the blue line," Fauzi said. "The MRT will go underground under Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio in Casablanca, South Jakarta, and come up aboveground at Jl. Lapangan Ros, Tebet," Fauzi said. 

Bambang Susantono from the Indonesian Transportation Society said the city administration should review all urban transportation before replacing one public transportation mode with another. 

"We are also reviewing the Study on Integrated Transportation Master Plan (Sitramp) from now until next year to see if one of the busway corridors is suitable for a monorail, light train or subway. We must study commuter patterns," he said. 

The MRT project, managed by both the central government and the Jakarta administration, is expected to be completed in 2014. 

Fauzi said the second phase loan agreement, which amounts to US$450 million, for the MRT project would take place in March 2009. The first phase of the loan was only US$17 million. 

PT Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta (MRTJ) president director Eddi Santosa said his company had only received Rp 63 billion from the first phase loan agreement, while the remaining Rp 100 billion went to the city transportation department for design and engineering. 

MRTJ has received Rp 49.5 billion from the city administration and Rp 500 million from traditional market operator PD Pasar Jaya. 

The North-South MRT project will be implemented in two phases. The first phase consists of feasibility studies, the formation of MRTJ and the construction of a 14.3-kilometer line from Lebak Bulus to Dukuh Atas, Central Jakarta. 

The second phase of development is construction of the line from Dukuh Atas to Kota.

City to have more elevated roads as of next year

Mustaqim Adamrah , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 03/12/2008 11:55 AM

Governor Fauzi Bowo said Tuesday the capital would start a Rp 40 trillion (US$4.2 billion) project constructing elevated roads across all municipalities in Jakarta next year. Six toll roads are included in the project.

"We must understand that horizontal road expansion is no longer a favorable solution in easing traffic jams," he said at City Hall.

"Therefore, we have no other choice except to build more elevated roads."

He said elevated toll roads were also part of a plan to generate revenue for the city.

"We could use more revenue from toll roads to fund the development of other roads, as well as the development of an MRT, the monorail and the busway," said Fauzi.

The MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) is a rail system Jakarta has been planning since 1984. Plans to begin construction this year have again been delayed until 2010.

He said, however, more research was required to measure the impacts of the construction, such as congestion.

"Both the central government and the city administration agree road expansion on ground level will not solve transportation issues in the city," he said.

"But we can think of another way to solve traffic problems. We have to carefully decide the locations of the toll road exits and entrances in the design."

Wrong locations of toll road exits and entrances, Fauzi said, would create worse traffic jams.

He also said the money needed to fund the elevated roads project would come from the administration, the capital market, the money market and loan syndicates.

Fauzi said the city would start the toll road construction in North Jakarta because MRT construction was planned for the same time in the south.

The Rp 8.3 trillion ($913 million) MRT project will stretch 14.3 kilometers from Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, to Dukuh Atas, Central Jakarta and is expected to be finished in 2014.

In addition, Fauzi said the design would also calculate increased air pollution resulting from road expansions that consequently encourage more people to use vehicles.

The six planned toll roads

1. Rawa Buaya, West Jakarta - Sunter, North Jakarta 18.6 km
2. Kemayoran, Central Jakarta - Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta 9.7 km
3. Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta - Casablanca, South Jakarta 9 km
4. Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta - Tomang, West Jakarta 12 km
5. Sunter, North Jakarta - Pulo Gebang, East Jakarta 12.5 km
6. Ulujami, South Jakarta - Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta 8.6 km
   
   
   

Fauzi scolds office over 100-day plan failures

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With Tuesday marking Governor Fauzi Bowo's 100th day in office at City Hall, he may decide to cut back the administration's organizational structure due to the poor performance of some working units over that term.

"I found that several units were ineffective. They must be warned," he said Monday.

Fauzi added that he was considering cutting back the organizational structure due to its poor performance.

"For example, there were units that closed down during a holiday, even though the public needed the services. We will straighten things up," he said.

He said the administration still had a lot of 'homework' to do.

"We also found several units had problems with internal coordination. To solve that, we've made an academic analysis of each unit. The analysis will be used to organize the administration over the next five years," he said.

Fauzi, who refused to give the names of the units or other details, said he expected the working units would perform better this year.

He said that to improve performance, he had made various attempts, including making working contracts between the administration and the units, adding that he would renew the contracts for this year.

"Those who fail to meet the target will receive a warning," he said.

Fauzi, elected on Oct.8, made a 100-day action plan. It comprises 19 areas ranging from the reduction of traffic congestion caused by busway lane construction, to the development of the Mass Rapid Transit (monorail) project, flood mitigation and providing better public facilities for disabled people.

"The administration's performance cannot be judged from its first 100-day action plan alone," he said.

Opinions were divided as urban experts and observers commented on the performance of the new administration.

Alwi Shahab, a historian and avid observer of Jakarta, said Fauzi's 100-day plan to improve Jakarta was commendable despite not being well delegated to lower-level officials.

An urban planning expert from Trisakti University, Yayat Supriatna, said it was difficult for the public to evaluate the governor's 100-day performance, as the plans' targets were unclear. Fauzi Bowo had shown improvement at an internal and horizontal level, but failed to tackle the city's crucial problems, he said.

A survey made by the Strategic Development and Policy Study Center last week said the administration needed to coordinate its working units and institutions in order to meet the public needs.

Husin Yazid, the center's director, said 36 percent of the respondents were sure that the governor could carry out the planned programs, which would improve the quality of life in Jakarta.

"Most respondents believed the governor could carry out plans in reducing traffic congestion, disaster management, disease control, health and education service programs and waste management," Husin said.

Previously, Fauzi said the plan was based on a mission to create 'good governance', good service, people empowerment as well as the development of Jakarta as a dynamic city.

"The plan must be professional, accountable, transparent, participation building, responsive to the needs of the people and based on laws and rights equivalence" he said.

He also said there would be a 'reward and punishment' mechanism for administration officials. (tif)

Mass transportation system still in the work

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakartans might agree that crawling along, hour after hour, trapped in traffic is the major urban living issue of the year, with the busway being the subject of the hour.

But the Jakarta administration says it has a remedy for the exasperating traffic situation -- a macro transportation framework.

Since experts in 2004 drew up a comprehensive plan for moving people and goods about the city -- the Transporation Framework -- Jakarta has been expecting something big to happen.

The framework is a grand 10-year plan for an integrated transportation system that, it is hoped, will ameliorate chronic traffic congestion and stave off gridlock -- predicted by 2014.

The framework comprises busways, a water taxi, rail-based transportation, a monorail, and a subway, as well as roads linking them together in an integrated system.

Transportation experts have clearly stated that without a public transportation system none of the world's big cities can go on functioning correctly.

As the cheapest mass transportation method the administration has ever built, the busway has drawn applause but also criticism.

The fact sheet says the number of commuters using the busway has increased since its first year of operation, abreast with the growing number of busway corridors: from 15.94 million in 2004, to 20.8 million in 2005 and 38.83 million in 2006, according to busway operator TransJakarta. TransJakarta 2007 will see 59.44 million riders use the busway seven routes.

On the ugly side, apparently the busway has done little to ease congestion because it hasn't been an attractive choice for most motorists. Fewer-than-needed buses and "huge" operational costs have been blamed for poor service, which in turn holds back popularity.

"A project will become a milestone only if we have both good planning and implementation," says Soetanto Soehodho, a transportation expert at the University of Indonesia's Center for Transportation Studies. "The busway plan is excellent. The entangling problems are in the implementation."

The administration is constructing three new busway lanes that are expected to be finished by Dec. 15. The construction has resulted in even worse congestion. Temporary relief was given to motorists when they were allowed to use certain sections of busway lanes in November. The policy, however, hurts busway users because it takes them longer to reach their destinations.

As Soetano suggests, one problem after another will prevent the success of transportation schemes unless they are well-planned and implemented. It is more important for the administration, he says, to evaluate and optimize the seven existing corridors than to build new ones.

Meanwhile, it seems busway progress has temporarily come to a stop -- even before all the new corridors have been rolled out. "The city budget has been available only since around May this year, while public bidding for such construction takes five to six months of preparation and three to six months for the process itself," says Budi Kuntjoro of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. "Such condition can result in months of delays."

The presence of the busway system is not to blame for traffic delays; the presence and growing number of private vehicles that occupy 90 percent of the road space is, says Budi.

"The efficiency of private vehicles is also low as they carry only half of the total passengers."

Approximately 1.5 million cars were sold last year in Jakarta. During the first three months of this year 1.51 million cars and 3.32 motorcycles were sold.

"The number of vehicles sold every year rises by 10 percent, while the roadway expands by no more than 0.1 percent annually," he says.

Jakarta roadway is now equal to 40 square kilometers and can only accommodate -- at any one time -- only 0.01 percent of the total number of cars, according to City Public Works Agency head Wisnu Subagya Yusuf.

To help reduce traffic by limiting the use of private vehicles, electronic road pricing (ERP) is one answer, Budi says. The institute is still doing feasibility studies for a Rp 1 trillion (US$107.53 million) ERP project and hopes to have it in place by 2011.

One way or another, a working traffic system will require mass transportation, limiting the use of private vehicles and re-mapping the routes used by private motorists, says Soetanto.

However, there is always the risk that traffic jams will simply be displaced rather than eliminated. Creating new roads -- except as part of a comprehensive plan -- would only encourage the use of private vehicles and be a temporary solution says Andi Rahmah of the Indonesian Transportation Society. "Road expansion will never resolve traffic congestion."

Rules regarding ownership and use of private vehicles may be one solution, but the administration will likely choose something "safer".

As one of Indonesia's leading industries, it wouldn't be practical to impinge on auto makers," said Fauzi.

In Soetanto's opinion, limiting the use of private vehicles can be successful if "suitable mass transportation options are already available for car users ready to make the switch".

In another attempt at traffic mitigation, the administration has committed to a multi-trillion Mass Rapid Transit -- or subway -- project by 2014.

The project will unlikely be derailed at this point as the administration has been promised the approximately Rp 8.3 trillion it needs for the project in the form of soft loans by Japan Bank for International Cooperation. The project also enjoys the support of the central government.

"We have the central government on our side. Unlike the monorail project, which is handled by a private company. I guarantee this MRT project will be successful," then-deputy governor Fauzi Bowo said in August when revealing the project road map.

In the first phase, the MRT will be able to transport 400,000 commuters daily from Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, to Dukuh Atas, Central Jakarta -- 14.3 kilometers -- in only 32 minutes.

The long-delayed monorail project depends on whether there is political will to make it a reality. "It is a matter of how to attract investment, too," says Soetanto.

The administration once had an ambition to see through the $480-million monorail project. But the fate of the project is now hanging on a thread and fail entirely as neither the city nor central government has recently given any clear signs on the project.

Meanwhile, one foreign investor after another has come and left -- after finding the financial scheme offered by monorail developer PT Jakarta Monorail didn't suit them, notwithstanding central government backing. The monorail developer is suspected to be insolvent although director Sukmawaty Syukur denies the accusation.

"The monorail project has stopped because (Jakarta Monorail) doesn't have the money," said then-deputy governor Fauzi. The on-and-off project construction has left a series of idle pillars along Central and South Jakarta's main streets.

Wondering if railway-based transportation is the key to traffic mitigation, the central government and the city launched the double-track railway linking Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta and Serpong in Banten in July. The project cost the central government Rp 320 billion. The Serpong-Tanah Abang route is to be the pilot for the country's first modern railway network.

The administration is also planning to connect Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport with a double-track railway.

Banks urge city funding for monorail

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A consortium of local banks wants Jakarta administration to acquire majority ownership of PT Jakarta Monorail to ensure investment in the on-off monorail project.

PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) president director Sigit Pramono said Monday the banks had made the request during discussions with the administration and Jakarta Monorail.

Sigit said a greater role by the administration would reduce the risks banks might face in the future.

"As a part of the public sector, public transportation projects are never profitable without subsidies or support from the central and local governments in any country," he told The Jakarta Post.

The banks and the administration engaged in a series of negotiations to settle financial schemes for the city's monorail projects after Jakarta Monorail, as the operator and constructor of the project, failed to attract foreign investors last year.

BNI, PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) and PT Bank Mandiri (Bank Mandiri) are among the local banks that intend to finance the project.

After being entangled in almost a year of negotiations, it has been agreed the banks would provide a US$345 million loan for the project while an additional $144 million would come from Jakarta Monorail's internal equity.

The administration and the City Council have agreed to provide 10 percent of the equity by disbursing $14.4 million.

PT Adhi Karya, an existing stakeholder, has also been asked to increase its ownership from 7 percent to more than 20 percent under a new financing scheme, despite the fact the state-owned construction company also holds a 24-percent share in PT Indonesia Transit Central (ITC).

ITC is the existing main stakeholder which controls 91 percent of Jakarta Monorail's total shares, while PT Omnico Singapore Pty Ltd holds the remaining two-percent share in the company.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said the administration planned to invest in the company, but added the company's mounting debts were a major concern.

"I never said the administration would not take over (the shares of the company), but this kind of decision would be easier if the company was not overburdened with debt," he said at City Hall in Central Jakarta.

ITC president director Sukmawaty Sjukur denied the consortium had ever been in debt.

The monorail project, which is to comprise two separate monorail lines, is part of the city's planned integrated transportation system aimed at overcoming the perennial traffic chaos in the capital.

The monorail's green line will run through South Jakarta's Kuningan business district, along Jl. Sudirman to Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta. The blue line will link Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta with Roxy in West Jakarta.(tif)

Bekasi to build monorail line

The Jakarta Post, November 23, 2007

BEKASI: The Bekasi administration will begin the estimated Rp 5 trillion (US$554 million) construction of a monorail line in January.

Bekasi Mayor Mochtar Mohamad was quoted by Tempo Interaktif news portal on Thursday as saying, "Next week, the investor will start surveying the location of the monorail station and its route."

During a Wednesday meeting between the Bekasi administration and the investor, agreements were reached on several points, including that the administration would provide three hectares of land for a monorail station, either near the sports stadium on Jl. A. Yani or at the Bekasi bus terminal on Jl. Juanda.

When completed, the monorail will connect Bekasi, Jakarta and Tangerang. -- JP

Monorail developer denies bankruptcy

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A hearing for a bankruptcy lawsuit against monorail developing consortium PT Jakarta Monorail on Thursday ended with both the plaintiff and the accused being told to prepare evidence for the next court session.

"The court will check on the evidence used to support the arguments of both sides," presiding judge M. Eli Mariani said at the Commercial Court, in the Central Jakarta District Court.

She adjourned the hearing until Monday.

The plaintiff, Adi Prasetyo & Partners, which is the former legal advisor for PT Jakarta Monorail, requested the Commercial Court declare the company bankrupt.

The firm, represented by Octolin H. Hutagalung, said PT Jakarta Monorail owed approximately Rp 2.247 billion (US$245,439) and $872,750, separately.

Outside the court, PT Jakarta Monorail's lawyer Mauliate P. Situmeang said the company refused to be declared bankrupt.

"When the law firm submitted a proposal (to be the legal advisor for the company), it didn't include an official license (to practice)," he said.

He added the consortium had only recently discovered that Adi Prasetyo & Partners did not have a practice permit, after being represented by the law firm for almost two years.

Adhi Karya to increase stake in Jakarta Monorail project

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - PT Adhi Karya will increase its stake in the Jakarta Monorail (JM) project from 7.65 percent to 21.83 percent gradually, a company executive said.

"JM will issue new shares. Adhi Karya will purchase in stages 250,000 shares each having a nominal value of US$100," Kurnardi Gularso, Adhi Karya`s corporate secretary, told the Jakarta Stock Exchange here Thursday.

PT Adhi Karya would thus raise the value of its investment in JM by US$ 25 million to buy 25,000 shares, he said.

PT Adhi Karya would pay $15 million to purchase JM shares in the first stage after the Jakarta Monorail company obtains a guarantee from a financial institution.

The remaining $10 million would be paid in the second phase, Kurnardi said.

The stake of ITC which currently controls 91.02 percent of JM shares would eventually drop to 12.82 percent as ITC was not taking part in the purchase of JM`s additional shares.

Water taxi to launch despite problems

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta administration has continued to shrug off criticism of its water taxi project, saying it is confident about launching the project in the near future despite incomplete infrastructure and rivers full of debris.

Governor Sutiyoso said recently the city administration still wanted to launch the service soon, regardless of its problems, in order to promote the use of rivers for transportation.

"It's not just a matter of (raising awareness for) commercial purposes," he said.

"We also want people to begin a new habit of not throwing garbage in the river because it could interfere with the water taxis."

The water taxi launch was initially slated for the end of this month. The planned service will ply a 4.2-kilometer route from Karet in Central Jakarta to Manggarai in South Jakarta.

The city administration has already provided two speedboats, named Kerapu III and Kerapu VI, for the route. The boats previously serviced routes in Kepulauan Seribu regency, better known as the Thousand Islands.

The administration has also built water taxi stops in Karet Belakang, Halimun and Dukuh Atas.

Khairul, the captain of one of the vessels, said that the biggest problem for him was garbage along the river.

He said that several kinds of garbage, such as thick plastic and fabric, got stuck in boat's motor.

"Unlike with passengers on a bus, where they can easily move to another bus if it breaks down, I still have no idea how to manage it if that happens to a water taxi," he said.

Khairul added that there was no alternative but for the city administration to improve the condition of the Ciliwung River to allow water taxis to operate smoothly.

Jakarta Transportation Agency head Nurrachman said he had coordinated with other agencies to clean up the water taxi route.

"It's a matter of people's awareness because they're always throwing their household garbage in the river. So people have to play an important role in the program," he said.

The water taxi service is part of the city's integrated Mass Rapid Transport project, which also involves the busway, subway and monorail projects.

The busway was launched two years ago. It now comprises seven corridors linking a number of areas of the city.

The two most ambitious projects, the subway and monorail system, are estimated to cost the city a combined total of US$1,450 billion.

Central govt threatens car quota to boost mass transit

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

If a sustainable transportation system is not developed to reduce air pollution in Jakarta, the government will start limiting car sales in the capital, the State Ministry for the Environment warned.

The state ministry's deputy assistant for emissions control, Ridwan Tamin, said Friday the existing transportation system in Jakarta has not encouraged private car owners to switch to public transportation.

"Completion of the busway and monorail systems are half-hearted efforts. The government needs to get moving and finish what it has started," Ridwan told The Jakarta Post.

"If air pollution remains at high levels, it is feasible to ban private car sales."

He said it was time the automotive industry assisted the city administration in developing the public transportation system.

"The government needs to enforce the law on emissions tests, as stipulated in air pollution control bylaws."

He said sustainable transportation must be eco-friendly and accessible to all levels of society.

"The government must improve the busway by setting up more stops and providing feeder buses to ease congestion. Sustainable transportation is urgently needed," Ridwan said.

Some busway buses operate on eco-friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) and are part of the city's mass rapid transit (MRT) system, which is aimed at resolving long-standing transportation problems. Plans to improve the MRT system include the addition of subway, monorail and waterway transportation options.

Seven busway corridors, out of a planned 15, are currently in operation. The waterway project is expected to begin in June.

There are now more than 2.5 million private cars and 3.8 million motorcycles in the city -- and only 255,000 public transportation vehicles.

The government says private car ownership rises by at least 11 percent each year, far higher than the 1 percent increase in newly constructed roads annually.

At this rate the city will be gridlocked by 2014.

The government recorded only 48 days of clean air in Jakarta last year, up from 28 recorded in 2005.

Transportation expert from the University of Indonesia, Susanto Soehodho, said the automotive industry has a responsibility to help the government set up a sustainable transportation system.

He said the automotive industry should set aside a percentage of income from car sales to improve the public transportation system.

Guv vows progress on city projects

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso has said he will focus on achieving progress on key infrastructure projects in the final months before his term expires in October.

"I will do my best to make way for the construction of big projects such as the East Flood Canal, the monorail, the Mass Rapid Transportation system (MRT) and low-cost apartment buildings," Sutiyoso told reporters in City Hall Monday.

He said that most of the projects had started so he hoped that his successor would be able to complete them.

For the monorail, he said he hoped there would not be any future problems with the its construction, since the government had issued a letter to guarantee any operation shortfalls for the project.

He said he hoped construction of the MRT would run smoothly after the government received a letter of guarantee from Japan.

Last year, Japan signed an engineering assistance agreement with the central government to develop the MRT and gave a one billion yen loan for the project.

When asked about infrastructure projects that have not yet been finished, Sutiyoso said he talked to several potential investors during his trip to the Middle East last week.

"I met with the president director of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and he showed his interest in the deep tunnel project," he said.

The city administration is planning to build a deep tunnel reservoir system that will run 17 km along the West Flood Canal. --JP

Monorail construction to resume

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Construction of Jakarta's monorail will resume at the end of this month after a two year delay, despite the fact that a $500 million loan for the project from the Dubai Islamic Bank has not yet been received.

"PT Jakarta Monorail (JM), the project's developer, has some $70 million of equity as a guarantee to ask for a $180 million loan from a local bank consortium to restart the Green Line (monorail) project," Governor Sutiyoso said Thursday.

It was earlier estimated the two-line monorail project would cost US$650 million.

But Sutiyoso said JM would need only US$ 480 million because it did not have to make any asset guarantee to the Dubai Islamic Bank.

The monorail's Green Line, which will run through Central and South Jakarta, is projected to cost the company US$250 million while for the Blue Line, which will run through East Jakarta and West Jakarta, will cost US$230 million.

The Dubai Islamic Bank had agreed to invest in the project on assurances the central government and the city administration would cover half of the losses incurred in the operation of the monorail.

After the government issued its guarantee letter earlier this month, several local banks including BRI bank, BNI bank, Mandiri bank and the city-owned DKI bank, showed their interest in funding the project.

"We will have problems getting loans from the Dubai Islamic Bank because the bank is offering Islamic bonds (sukuk), which are not yet regulated for in our country," Sutiyoso said.

The House of the Representatives is currently deliberating one bill on Islamic banking and the other on the issuance of Islamic bonds.

The law on Islamic bonds was scheduled to have been passed last month.

Operational director of JM, Sukmawati Syukur, said the Dubai Islamic Bank was ready to disburse the loan anytime, but that JM was constrained by legal uncertainty from getting the funds.

"In the meantime we've decided to ask for loans from the local banks because the procedure is easier," she said.(05)

Minister sets deadline for monorail project

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (JP): Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati gave three years for PT Jakarta Monorail to complete the transportation project in the capital, which will be financed by Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB).

Her statement was made as a follow up to her decree issued on March 15, ruling that the government will cover the financial shortage if the number of passengers miss the minimal target of 160,000 per day.

Ministry's spokesman Syamsiar Said said Monday that under the decree, the government would pay US$11.25 million per year at the most within five years.

He said the ministry also required the Jakarta City Council to approve a regulation ruling that the city administration has to prepare a similar amount of money to cover the possible shortfall before the central government disburses its money.

The capacity of the monorail project is 270,000 passengers per day.

Initially, two lines of the monorail project were scheduled to operate early this year, but concession holder PT Jakarta Monorail found difficulty to find investors to finance the project.

DIB finally expressed its agreement to finance the project with a condition that the government has to cover possible financial shortage.

Analysts expressed pessimism that monorail would be able to meet its minimal target of passengers because the Rp7,500 ticket price per trip is too expensive for most of Jakartans.

Sutiyoso sure water taxi is a winner

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As Sutiyoso's time as governor draws to a close, the people around him are working against time to ensure his plan to establish an inland water transportation system gets off the ground by the middle of the year.

City transportation agency head Nurachman said Friday the water taxi's Ciliwung River route -- from Karet in Central Jakarta to Manggarai sluice gate in South Jakarta was a well-chosen pilot program to gauge the appeal of water-based transportation.

"We hope passengers can try out the 4.2-kilometer route as early as June," he told The Jakarta Post.

"The city public works agency is currently in the process of repairing the West Flood Canal, which intercepts the Ciliwung, to make way for the water taxi service."

The administration has so far built water taxi stops in Karet Belakang, Dukuh Atas and PD PAL Jaya subdistricts.

The administration also plans to construct riverbank stations, where passengers will be able to make ticket purchases.

The type of vessels that will be employed has yet to be announced.

Despite his deputy, Fauzi Bowo, challenging the suitability of the system given the fact that many of the city's rivers are silted up with mud and rubbish, Sutiyoso is convinced it's a good way to ease traffic congestion on city streets. He is determined to see the service offered before his term ends in July.

Ciliwung River is the largest of the 13 rivers that cut through the capital.

All 13 rivers are seriously polluted.

The Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) said the water taxi service could actually improve the state of the city's rivers.

"We would constantly be monitoring the water quality and would certainly make it a priority to get rid of the stench. We're also planning to landscape the banks so commuters can enjoy a nice view," said Ridwan Panjaitan, the head of air pollution control at the agency.

The water taxi service is part of the city's integrated MRT project, comprising also the busway, subway and monorail systems.

Sutiyoso's first project, the busway, was launched two years ago.

There are currently seven corridors linking a number of areas of the city. Another eight corridors are under construction.

The monorail, meanwhile, will comprise two lines -- the green line and the blue line -- and cost an estimated US$650 million.

The 14.3-kilometer green line will run through Central Jakarta and South Jakarta, from Jl. Rasuna Said and Jl. Gatot Subroto to the Sudirman business district, and then to Senayan, Jl. Pejompongan and back to Jl. Rasuna Said.

The blue line will link Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta to Roxy, West Jakarta.

Meanwhile, the planned subway would run from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta, to Kota in West Jakarta.

It is expected to cost US$800 million.

Invest now or the whole of Jakarta will be submerged

Riyadi Suparno, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Floods have paralyzed Jakarta at least twice, now and back in 2002, and experts believe that the flooding is becoming a five-yearly "event," and that unless something is done to prevent it, we will have another major flood in 2012 or even sooner.

This time, the flooding is said to have been the worst ever, with 70 percent of the city affected last week. The losses have been huge, including dozens of fatalities. The official estimate puts total losses at Rp 4.3 trillion (US$470 million). This estimate includes losses resulting from disruption to industry and trade, household losses, damaged infrastructure and lost productivity.

Such estimates, however, do not cover intangible losses, such as the terrible inconveniences and mental distress caused to the victims.

Looking at all these losses, both tangible and intangible, as well as the potential losses from future floods, we might well wonder why the central and Jakarta governments have not invested more in flood-prevention infrastructure.

To date, most of our flood defenses were built by the Netherlands Indies administration, i.e., the canal system that channels water from the western part of Jakarta to the sea.

About 20 years ago, the city administration drew up plans to build the 23.5-kilometer East Flood Canal to divert water heading to Central and North Jakarta through a number of rivers to the sea. This project, however, is still in limbo due to the lack of money allocated for the project in the Jakarta annual budget.

Following the massive flooding in 2002, the Jakarta administration drew up a more comprehensive flood-prevention master plan, which incorporated the construction of the East Flood Canal. The master plan also envisages the construction of more sluice gates and water-retention ponds, river dredging and the relocation of riverside dwellers.

The plan will need a total investment of Rp 18.1 trillion, but to date has largely remained nothing more than a plan because not enough money has been committed to seeing it through.

But why the paucity of funding? Why has inadequate investment been made in flood-prevention projects given the massive losses that the inundations produce?

The answer may lie in politics, where proper project analysis is frequently absent. Projects of lower economic value are often prioritized by the politicians if they deliver immediate benefits that can be felt by their constituents, while projects of greater value may be ignored if their benefits will only become apparent years down the line.

And flood-prevention projects definitely fall into the latter category, where the benefits will not be immediately apparent upon the completion of the projects, as compared, for example, to the Jakarta monorail, whose benefits will be immediate. This might explain why the Jakarta administration is a lot more interested in pursuing the monorail project than the East Flood Canal project.

Unlike the monorail, where private investors are keen to invest their money, especially after a controversial government guarantee was given, flood-prevention projects like the East Flood Canal do not attract much interest from the private sector. This is what economists normally refer to as "market failure".

In such a situation, the government has an obligation to intervene. If the Jakarta government has no resources or lacks the capacity to implement the plan, the central government has to take it over. Otherwise, the plan will remain on the drawing board for ever.

There is no reason for the central government not to take over the project. First of all, it will have a spillover effect in two other provinces -- West Java and Banten.

Secondly, the government has the capacity and resources to implement the plan. If the government lacks ready cash at the moment, it can always borrow to finance this essential project.

In fact, financing the expansion of Jakarta's flood defenses through borrowing would be eminently sensible, and even be the fairest way of all as the benefits that the project will bring will extend to succeeding generations. By financing these projects through borrowing, the next generation will also play a part in paying for the benefits it will enjoy from the investment we make today.

Conversely, we must also ensure that we do not burden succeeding generations with unnecessary expense resulting from markups and corruption during the course of the works.

So, we have no other choice now than to soon put this comprehensive flood mitigation plan into effect. Otherwise, the whole of Jakarta could well be submerged in 2012, or even sooner.

New busway routes launched

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Even though they are a little short on buses, four new busway corridors were officially opened by Governor Sutiyoso on Saturday.

Promising a full fleet of 216 vehicles to serve the new lines, the governor pleaded with Jakartans to be patient during the initial phase of operation.

The corridors are beginning with just eight buses each. They run from Ragunan to Kuningan, Kampung Rambutan to Kampung Melayu, Pulogadung to Dukuh Atas, and Kampung Melayu to Ancol.

During a pre-launch ceremony Friday, the head of the Jakarta Transportation Agency, Nurachman, had said each line would have 10 buses in the initial phase.

The governor said the administration had to go through a long process to import the buses. He hopes to have all of the vehicles in place by the end of February.

The ceremony at Ancol recreational park in North Jakarta featured a test run from Ancol to Cililitan, East Jakarta. The inaugural ride snarled traffic until the afternoon in several areas along the route.

The administration has high hopes for the new corridors, and is setting a target of 5,000 to 10,000 passengers for the four corridors per day.

In his speech, Sutiyoso said the busway was only a starting point for Jakarta's transportation plans.

The administration has already floated an ambitious goal of 15 busway corridors, two monorail lines, a subway and water transportation.

The city administration has long been criticized for failing to provide public transportation, resulting in the uncontrolled growth of private vehicle ownership and the city's notoriously wretched traffic.

"There is no city in the world that can keep building roads to keep up with the increasing number of vehicles," Sutiyoso said.

Instead, he added, the only way to offset the growth in private vehicles was to provide better public transportation.

"This is why I won't retreat, though there are many opponents to this policy. I want to show that these buses are the best answer to our traffic problems," he said.

Sutiyoso said three more corridors would be built this year. Public transportation vehicles which overlap with the busway routes will be grouped in a consortium.

Nyoman Iswarayoga, a passenger who attended the launch, hoped that the administration could quickly obtain the buses as well as an electronic ticketing system for the new corridors.

"I'm sure people will complain about long waits because the buses are limited," he told The Jakarta Post.

Until the bidding and installation process for an electronic ticketing system is completed, the new lines will use paper tickets.

The three existing lines -- Blok M-Kota, Pulogadung-Harmoni, and Kalideres-Harmoni -- all use electronic ticketing.

A study by the U.S.-based Institute for Transportation and Development Policy found that as many as 14 percent people of Jakarta's busway riders were previously private car users.

"Bogota (Colombia) had only five percent shift to their busway service. This is a good result," said Sutiyoso.