Fast development: The mass rapid transit system in Jakarta. MRT Jakarta has signed a contract with the Japan Management Consultant Association, which will act as the latest project’s tender consultant. — Bloomberg
JAKARTA: City-owned PT MRT Jakarta will open an international tender for stage one in the first phase of its east-west line in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The 24.5-km stretch, which will connect Tomang in West Jakarta with the Bekasi city district of Medan Satria in West Java, accounts for more than a quarter of the planned east-west line and will require a projected investment of 50 trillion rupiah (US$3.1bil).
MRT Jakarta construction director Weni Maulina said the company had recently signed a contract with the Japan Management Consultant Association (JMCA), which would act as the project’s tender consultant.
“God willing, by the fourth quarter, possibly October or November, we’ll announce the tender, and it will be international,” Weni said at an MRT Jakarta press forum, as quoted by Kumparan.
The tender would prioritise Japanese firms, as the project is being financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA with cofinancing from the Asian Development Bank or ADB.
However, local companies will be allowed to participate through joint operations with selected Japanese contractors.
“Japan will take the lead but Indonesian firms can enter through joint operations,” she added. Contract signing is targeted for 2026, with construction expected to begin soon after.
Meanwhile, the project’s commercial operation date or COD is set for 2032.
MRT Jakarta began preliminary activities for the extension of the rapid transit network this year, including land acquisition and utility relocation.
“These early tasks must be completed before physical construction starts,” Weni noted.
Phase one stage two will extend the line by 9.2km westward from Tomang to Kembangan, while phase two will cover two stretches: A 29.9-km segment from Balaraja in Banten to Kembangan, and a 20-km stretch from Medan Satria to Cikarang in West Java.
The entire east-west line will span a planned 87km connecting Balaraja in Banten and Cikarang in West Java, with 21 stations, both elevated and underground, and a depot located in Rorotan.
Upon completion, the east-west line will complement the existing north-south corridor, which currently spans 16km from Lebak Bulus to Hotel Indonesia and was launched in 2019.
That line is currently being extended northward to reach a total length of 28km, ending in Kota Tua, North Jakarta.
Previously, Japan reiterated support for construction of the east-west line but added it had no immediate plans to get involved in extending the mass rapid transit (MRT) system further into Greater Jakarta.
Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yasushi Masaki said in June that Tokyo’s current priority was completing the northward extension of the existing line and to start construction on the east-west corridor. This will be followed by funding support for urban development around new MRT stations.
The city-owned company previously said it saw a need to push forward with the MRT’s extension to South Tangerang, citing its importance for regional connectivity.
According to reports, the MRT system has helped prevent 2.2 trillion rupiah in environmental damage and saved 1.9 trillion rupiah in travel time across the city’s most congested areas. — Jakarta Post/ANN
