ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – PT MRT Jakarta and the Japanese company, Sojitz Corporation, signed a contract worth IDR 4.7 trillion to extend the integrated highway (MRT) route from Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout Station to Kota Station.
Currently, the MRT has connected the Lebak Bulus route with the HI Roundabout.
MRT Jakarta seeks to connect HI Station with Kota Station as part of Phase 2A construction. The recently signed contract with Sojitz is part of the CP205 contract package.
Main Director of MRT Jakarta, Tuhiyat, said that this collaboration includes work on rails and train systems, including signal systems.
“The contract value with Sojitz reaches around IDR 4.7 trillion,” said Tuhiyat after the signing ceremony of the MoU between PT MRT Jakarta and Sojitz Corporation, Wednesday, April 17 2024.
According to Tuhiyat, MRT Jakarta experienced difficulties when procuring tenders, even failing to find a contractor three times. He said factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic, semiconductor shortages and global geopolitical tensions were the main obstacles in the tender process.
“We then held an international competitive tender and finally succeeded in getting a letter of acceptance from Sojitz Corporation as the winner of the tender on February 20 2024. The CP205 contract lasts for 75 months until the end of 2029,” he explained.
Phase 2A construction, which covers 5.8 kilometers, will add 7 new stations, namely Thamrin, Monas, Harmoni, Sawah Besar, Mangga Besar, Glodok and Kota.
MRT Jakarta targets that Bundaran HI Station to Monas will be connected in 2027. Meanwhile, construction to Kota Station is targeted to be completed by the end of 2029.
“From the entire Phase 2A construction, progress has reached around 33.36% as of March 25 2024. The Thamrin-Monas construction has been completed around 74%, while the progress of the Harmoni-Sawah Besar-Mangga Besar station has reached 28%. Glodok-Kota has now reached 50%,” said Tuhiyat.
It is known that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided official development assistance loans to fund Indonesian infrastructure projects, including the MRT.
According to the Ministry of Finance in February 2023, JICA’s funding portfolio in Indonesia had reached around 551 billion yen. Around 227 billion yen of the total funding was channeled to the Ministry of Transportation for the MRT project. (ATN)
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