MRT Jakarta has signed a Rupiah 4.7 trillion ($US 289m) contract with Sojitz of Japan to undertake tracklaying and supply railway systems, including signalling, for Phase 2A of the MRT metro programme in the capital of Indonesia.

Phase 2A comprises the 5.8km extension from HI Roundabout to Kota. Contract Package 205 awarded to Sojitz has a term of six years and three months.

The extension will have six intermediate stations at Thamrin, Monas, Harmoni, Sawah Besar, Mangga Besar and Glodok. MRT Jakarta hopes to open the section to Monas by 2027, and the full extension to Kota by the end of 2029.

According to MRT Jakarta, construction of Phase 2A was 33.36% complete as of March 25. The Thamrin - Monas section was 74% complete, Harmoni - Mangga Besar 28%, and Glodok - Kota 50% complete.

Construction of the MRT network in Jakarta is being funded by Yen 227bn ($US 1.47bn) in official development assistance loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

While its focus remains on completing Phase 2A, MRT Jakarta has revived plans for a metro extension from Lebak Bulus station to South Tangerang, a project put on hold due to funding constraints.

It points out that funding will be required from the city of South Tangerang as well as the province of Banten. The cost of the 20km extension was estimated at Rupiah 20 trillion in 2020 by Indonesia’s transportation minister, Mr Budi Karya Sumadi, who said that the government would be unable to provide all of the funding.

Construction of the South Tangerang MRT extension is expected to start in 2025 at the earliest.

For detailed data on Asian metro projects, subscribe to IRJ Pro.