DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has initiated the construction of an underground tunnel for a subterranean pedestrian walkway in Dukuh Atas, Central Jakarta.
It will eventually connect BNI’s Dukuh Atas Station with UOB’s Thamrin Nine Building.
Baswedan said this underground pedestrian road will be the first built in Jakarta and Indonesia.
“MRT passengers will later pass through a tunnel that directly reaches buildings around the station,” he said on Thursday 7th July 2022.
This tunnel will be the beginning of the realisation of an underground interconnection network on the MRT system. Baswedan emphasised that this would not only facilitate movement patterns but also activate the basement as a new productive space in Jakarta.
The construction of the pedestrian tunnel is also a picture of the future related to increasing the integration of public transportation. Moreover, so far the capital has built intermodal integration.
For example, at level one, intermodal integration includes MRT stations being connected to TransJakarta bus stops, KRL Commuter Line stations, and other public transportation. Meanwhile, at level two, the integration connects the station with workplaces.
“We want the shift from private vehicles to public transportation to be a rational move, in terms of time and at a lower cost,” he added.
This is also an effort to shift residents from the buffer zone using public transportation.
“Imagine a building that is 40 floors high that has access to a station, then there will be thousands of people working in the building moving by public transportation,” he said. “Hopefully, this construction can be completed on time, at the right cost, and with quality. “
President Director of PT MRT Jakarta William Sabandar added that, so far, there are a number of buildings around the MRT that have the potential to be directly connected.
Among them are Wisma Nusantara and Pullman Hotel with HI Roundabout Station, Sudirman 7.8 with Setiabudi Astra Station, Wisma Intiland with Bendungan Hilir Station, and Mandiri Tower with Istora Mandiri Station.
“And those that are under construction and will be inaugurated next month are namely Poins Square and Lebak Bulus Station,” added Sabandar.
He believes that this interconnection network will have two effects, namely an increase in the number of users of MRT Jakarta transportation and the sustainability of economic actors around the Jakarta MRT stations.
This underground access tunnel for pedestrians will be 80 metres long and 5 metres wide, will be equipped with various supporting facilities, such as retail units, a storage room, an escalator, and an elevator. The construction is based on the principles of developing a universal transit-oriented area, including being friendly to people with disabilities.
The tunnel also completes the elevated interconnection of Blok M BCA Station and Blok M Plaza and the elevated interconnection of Lebak Bulus Grab-Pondok Indah Square Station which is currently under construction.
Furthermore, there are still five underground and overpass interconnects that are currently in the preparation stage. All MRT stations have been designed to be connected to surrounding buildings.