[An Indonesian Slice of Life] MRT Jakarta

By Hapsari Dwi Astuti

Headache or stressed due to the bad traffic in Jakarta? Jakarta, a city of roughly 10 million people, has long been known for its terrible traffic jams. But for those who live in the vicinity of South Jakarta and Central Jakarta, the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (or MRT Jakarta) that was introduced in 2019 has relieved some of the burden, as a much anticipated and efficient mode of transportation.

In addition to contributing to overcoming traffic congestion, the MRT has also changed the lifestyle of the people of Jakarta. Phase 1 of MRT Jakarta (along 16 kilometers from Lebak Bulus to Bundaran HI) alone has greatly facilitated the quick and easy transportation of the community. It only takes 30 minutes to get from one end of the line to the other, providing flexibility to go anywhere easily – those with offices around Sudirman (Dukuh Atas BNI station), for example, can now have lunch around Blok M using the MRT.

Map of MRT Jakarta route and stations, according to phases (Source: https://www.jakartamrt.co.id/peta-jalur-mrt/)

The MRT is not just a means of transportation, but also a tool to cultivate good behavior, such as the culture of queuing, orderliness, cleanliness, and also of sharing public spaces together (pre-COVID). This is a form of application of tolerance in everyday life, respecting other people who are also using the same public space. In order to maintain mutual comfort, MRT Jakarta imposes sanctions for violation of rules, for example those sitting on the floor in the MRT station are liable to a fine of Rp. 500,000.

Prior to the pandemic, MRT Jakarta has been quite reliable as the 16 “Ratangga” (name given to the first batch of trains) were operating with a 5-minute headway during rush hour. The timeliness of operations also reached 99.8 percent, and more and more stations were integrated with Transjakarta (Jakarta’s bus rapid transit system).

The MRT in Jakarta not only facilitates the transportation of the masses but also provides other benefits. For example, the change of use of transportation from private vehicles to public transportation can reduce the use of fuel oil (BBM), reduce congestion, and reduce air pollution in Jakarta. On top of that, this mode of transportation also contributes to the growth of visitors in malls around the MRT stations, such as Blok M Plaza, FX Sudirman, Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia, potentially increasing consumer spending and thus impacting the economy. This shows that the implementation of MRT Jakarta is certainly a step in the right direction and with the next phases yet to be completed, there is much more for Jakartans to look forward to!

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