Palembang’s vital Light Rail Transit development will receive a financial boost to ensure its completion ahead of the Asian Games 2018, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said Saturday, May 20.
The Rp.10 trillion (US$751.9 billion) Asian Games 2018 project has earmarked Rp.2 trillion (US$15.04) for Palembang’s LRT project development.
“The railway will be completed by December. What’s left for 2018 is only to take care of the train. The LRT will be ready to operate in June 2018, or at least two months before the Asian Games 2018,” Sumadi said, as quoted by Detik.
The government is also working to ensure the LRT receives sufficient electricity supply to operate smoothly.
“We already asked PLN (the state electricity provider) to provide enough supply for the train to operate,” the minister said.
To date, the LRT has reached 40 percent completion. Now, the local government is formulating the most appropriate ticket price for users.
“We haven’t decided the price, but we will take Palembang’s people purchasing power into consideration. Most likely, it will be around Rp.7,000 to Rp.8,000 (US$0.52 to US$0.6) per ticket. We will make sure that the price will be affordable for the local people,” Sumadi said.
The price prediction is based on research of mass transportation currently in use in Palembang.
“The LRT must be utilized optimally by local people and government as a mass transportation which can accommodate high mobility,” Sumadi said.
See: Despite Setbacks, Government Sets Ticket Price For LRT
Image credits: Detik
