Jakarta. The Indonesian government will begin construction of a $2.6 billion light rail transit system in the Greater Jakarta area on the country’s Independence Day, Aug. 17.

Construction will begin with the ground-breaking for the first route, connecting the southern satellite city of Bogor to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta, via Cawang in East Jakarta.

The Jakarta administration plans to build seven LRT corridors in the city at a total cost of Rp 35 trillion ($2.6 billion). The money is to be drawn from the city budget and will fund the Jakarta Public Service Agency, an office under the auspices of the city’s transport agency.

President Joko Widodo met on Wednesday with ministers and directors of state-owned enterprises responsible for the LRT project, following a meeting last week with Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama on the same matter.

“The president has asked that we start the project immediately. I believe the project will finish in 2018,” Transport Minister Ignasius Jonan said on Wednesday.

Government has awarded the contract for the project to state-owned builder Adhi Karya.

Investor Daily

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