The development of Bali’s underground railway system, also known as the Bali Light Rail Transit (LRT), has officially commenced and will be completed in four phases.
On Wednesday, the 4th of September, the provincial government of Bali held a cultural ceremony called ngeruwak to mark the laying of the first stone in the construction of the province’s subway project at Sentral Parkir Kuta, Badung Regency.
“The ceremony comes from the word ngeruak, which means ‘to open’. In this context, it signifies a ritual to open the land and change its status to support human activities,” explained Acting Governor of Bali, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, during a press briefing on Wednesday.
According to the Director of PT Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya (SBDJ), I Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra, commonly known as Ari Askhara, the first phase of the subway project is being constructed on land owned by the provincial and Badung Regency governments. This approach minimises the need to purchase private land for the project.
SBDJ has appointed PT Indotek as the main contractor, in partnership with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC). Local contractor PT Sinar Bali Bina Karya (Sinar Bali) will also collaborate on the construction work.
“While we await the tunnel’s completion, the focus will be on building the stations, which will take a significant amount of time,” Askhara added.
The subway project, known as the Bali Light Rail Transit (LRT) or Bali Urban Subway, will be constructed in four phases. The first phase covers the route from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport to Sentral Parkir Kuta, Seminyak, Berawa, and Cemagi, spanning a length of 16 kilometres. The second phase will run from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport to Jimbaran, Ubud, and Nusa Dua Airport, covering 13.5 kilometres. The third phase will include the route from Kuta to Sesetan, Renon, and Sentral Parkir Sanur, while the fourth phase will connect Renon to Sukawati and Ubud. However, the third and fourth phases are still undergoing feasibility studies.
“We expect operations to begin in early 2028 for the first phase. The second phase should be operational by late 2028. The rocky soil conditions in Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, and Cemagi slow down the drilling process to about three metres per day, whereas the chalky soil in Nusa Dua allows for faster progress, reaching up to 30 metres per day,” explained Askhara.