Govt needs Rp 1.6 T fund to acquire land for LRT

JAKARTA. The government needs to acquire two plots of land in Cibubur, East Jakarta and Bekasi, West Java worth Rp 1.6 trillion (US$119.3 million) to serve as locations for train depots for the Greater Jakarta light rail transit (LRT) project, an official has said.

The government needs to acquire a 0.45-hectare plot of land in Cibubur and another 5-hectare plot of land in Bekasi for the project, Transportation Ministry’s railway transportation directorate general Prasetyo Boeditjahjono on Friday.

He said that In Bekasi, the government needed 10 hectares of land, but that LRT contractor state construction firm Adhi Karya already owned another 5 hectares of land.

“The plots of land will be procured through LMAN (national asset management),” Prasetyo said, referring to the special public service (BLU) under the Finance Ministry.

He said that LMAN would propose that the fund be included in the 2017 revised state budget.

The transportation project will connect Jakarta and its neighboring cities in West Java-Bogor, Depok and Bekasi.

Initially, the project was expected to be completed in 2018 as it was to be used to transport athletes and spectators for the 2017 Asian Games. But a financial shortage in the state budget has forced the government to find alternative funds and extend the deadline of the project. (Farida Susanty)