Transportation Minister: LRT to be constructed in Medan
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily - Menhub: LRT akan dibangun di Medan
31 May 2021
By: Muawwan Daelami
Jakarta – Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi revealed that Medan would be one of the cities in Indonesia where mass transportation mode Light Rail Transit (LRT) would be constructed.
“We are planning to construct LRT, and World Bank chooses Medan as a city that will be developed besides Bandung. In constructing LRT, the tracks and the existing railway transportation have to complete each other,” the Transportation Minister said in his official statement during his work visit to Medan, North Sumatra last week.
The Transportation Minister conducted a work visit to Medan on Saturday (30/5) to meet North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi and Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution to discuss the mass transportation development plan.
“I appreciate the North Sumatra Provincial Government and the Medan Government that are extremely enthusiastic in making mass transportation the future of transportation. We held discussions on railways, Light Rail Transit (LRT), and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT),” Budi explained.
Budi Karya revealed that, to resolve traffic jams in Medan and its surroundings, an integrated mass transportation infrastructure was required.
“Earlier, the Mayor said that the traffic jam was unbearable here on weekdays. Hence, we want to make mass transportation the main choice for citizens to travel from one place to another,” Budi Karya said.
The Transportation Minister said that, until now, his agency had constructed various urban transportation infrastructures in Medan, such as the airport train from Medan to Kualanamu Airport. The airport train is planned to continue construction to Binjai and Belawan.
Regarding the BRT construction plan, the Transportation Minister explained that Medan would have a bus mass transportation mode that used the Buy the Service (BTS) concept subsidised by the government.
“Mass transportation construction in North Sumatra will be carried out intensively. Soon, we will finish Terminal Amplas in Medan and the water terminal for the water bus to support tourism destination Lake Toba,” he stated.
Meanwhile, North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadai said that population growth in North Sumatra had currently reached 0.3%. According to him, mass transportation must be kept in mind to prevent congestion in various areas of North Sumatra.
“As stated by the Transportation Minister that mass transportation is the future. We are continuously asking [for mass transportation], even though we know that railways are not cheap, especially LRT. So, in the future, mass transportation is expected to answer the demand of citizens for secure and comfortable public transportation,” Edy Rahmayadi said.
Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution is also welcoming the program from the Transportation Minister that will be synced with the program of the Medan Government. He is also encouraging citizens of Medan to choose mass transportation over private vehicles.
Support
On the other hand, the Transportation Ministry will provide mass transportations for Medan, which are two units of bus rapid transit.
“We will immediately provide buses that use the Buy the Service concept or subsidised [by the government]. So, there are currently only two [buses], there will be two more this year, and there will be more later,” the Transportation Minister said during his visit to Medan Train Station with North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi and Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution in Medan on Saturday (29/5).
The Transportation Minister hopes that the support will lower the use of private vehicles and air pollution. Besides that, the minister is also expecting mass transportation to be the primary mode of transportation.
Meanwhile, Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution hopes that mass transportation in Medan can function optimally. Medan Government is also welcoming all programs from the Transportation Ministry to advance infrastructure.
“We will ask citizens to use mass transportation. There will be several policy changes regarding parking, which we hope will support the construction that will be carried out to improve railway facilities and BRT,” Bobby said.
Must be careful
Meanwhile, to handle the LRT construction plan in Medan, transportation observer Djoko Setijowarno reminded that the Transportation Ministry must be careful in building the LRT and the urban elevated railway as South Sumatra LRT had yet to be finished until now.
“It must be clear what contribution the provincial government can provide. An integrity pact between the provincial government and the local DPRD (Regional House) must also be established. If not, the central government will bear a quite large subsidy cost,” Djoko said to Investor Daily on Sunday (30/5).
With the state’s current financial condition, according to Djoko, it will be better for the Transportation Ministry to construct landed mass transportations, such as Trans Metro Deli, as they will be easier, and the subsidy will be lower. This does not apply only in Medan, but also other cities that are asking for the same thing.
Djoko continued that LRT’s construction cost and subsidy were quite large. Moreover, there is the issue of encouraging citizens to use mass transportation, which is not easy as they are happier to use their motorcycles.
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