South Sumatra LRT Expected to Operate Next Month
South Sumatra LRT (Photo by: Ministry of Transportation)
Ministry of Transportation hopes that the South Sumatra Light Rail Transit (LRT) will be ready to operate in mid-July this year to support the upcoming 2018 Asian Games to be held in Jakarta and Palembang.
“Ministry of Transportation will ensure security and safety of the operation,” Director General for Railways of the Ministry of Transportation Zulfikri said in a press conference on Sunday (24/6).
Zulfikri further said that the Ministry has also checked LRT facilities and infrastructure in May 2018 and conducted a dynamic test on Thursday (21/6) from Jakabaring station to Palembang Icon station.
The construction of South Sumatra LRT, according to Zulkifli, is a mandate from Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 116 of 2015 and Presidential Regulation Number 55 of 2016 on the Amendment of Presidential Regulation Number 116 of 2012 on the Acceleration of Light Rail Transit in South Sumatra. “The Presidential Regulation instructs PT. Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk to build LRT Infrastructure in South Sumatra and commissions PT. KAI (Persero) as South Sumatra LRT operator, ” he said.
Zulkifli explained that the 23-kilometer South Sumatra LRT is equipped with 13 stations, 1 railway depot, 9 electrical substations, 1067mm rail line, and 750VDC third rail electricity. He added that the construction started in October 2015 and is financed by State Budget. The LRT will connect Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin International Airport to Jakabaring Sports City area, lighten the traffic, reduce the use of private vehicles, and support 2018 Asian Games, he added
The South Sumatra LRT construction, Zulkifli added, includes the construction of stations, facilities, big railway depot, handling different types of land, high technology infrastructure and operating system, elevated track with third rail for power supply, slab track technology (without ballast) on the rail track and Block fixed signaling system.
“Unlike Jabodebek LRT which uses U-shaped Girder or Jakarta LRT which uses Box Girder, South Sumatra LRT uses I Girder. The width of South Sumatra LRT is 1,067 mm while that of Jabodebek and Jakarta LRT is 1,435 mm, “Zulfikri said, adding that different characteristics of the constructions resulted in the different cost of each LRT project, based on price market.
Zulkifli further said that the total investment in the South Sumatera LRT construction is the total cost of LRT facilities and LRT infrastructure and added that the cost per kilometer of the LRT project is competitive, compared to Kelana Jaya LRT Line in Malaysia which costs Rp817 billion/km and Manila LRT which costs Rp907 billion/km.
Zulkifli explained that the State Budget used in financing South Sumatra LRT has been thoroughly reviewed by an internationally qualified and independent consultant, internal auditors, and external auditors in accordance with the principles of Good Corporate Governance.
“The budget previously proposed by the contractor for this LRT project was Rp12 Trillion, but after going through several stages of review, the cost can be reduced to Rp10.9 Trillion,” Zulfikri said, adding that during the construction, PT. Waskita Karya is assisted by an internationally qualified consultant, SMEC International from Australia.
“The company has a wealth of experiences in several countries in Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, and America,” Zulkifli conluded at the end of the press conference.
(Humas Ditjen Perkeretaapian Kemenhub/EN) (RI/EP/Naster)
