LRT and MRT Project Cost Comparison: Which is More Expensive?

The Integrated Rail Transit (LRT) is currently under public scrutiny ahead of its operational launch on July 12, 2023. This mode of transportation has been cited as having a design flaw in the rail bridge section, or longspan, in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

According to Kompas.com, this design error necessitates a reduction in the speed of the Jabodebek LRT trains when navigating the curve.

"If you look at the longspan from Gatot Subroto to Kuningan, there's a large bridge; it's actually a design flaw because Adhi Karya had already built the bridge, but they didn't test the angle of the train's inclination," stated Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Kartika Wiryoatmodjo during the InJourney Talks event on Tuesday (August 1, 2023).

Tiko, as he is known, mentioned that the curve is too narrow. If the bridge curve were wider, the Jabodebek LRT trains could maintain a higher speed.

"But because the curve is now too narrow, the trains have to run at only 20 km per hour, which is very slow," explained Tiko.

Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) tested the mode of transportation on Thursday (August 3, 2023). Regarding the design flaw, Jokowi felt it was not a problem and could be rectified. He noted that this is the first time such a project has been undertaken by Indonesian hands, primarily by PT Adhi Karya (Persero) and PT Industri Kereta Api/INKA (Persero).

"Don't be happy looking for mistakes. Mistakes are inevitable, because it's the first time and this is a production of PT INKA. The construction was done by ourselves, everything is done by ourselves. So if there are shortcomings, it must be understood, but we will fix them," said Jokowi, as reported by Detik.com on Thursday (August 3, 2023).

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Jabodebek LRT commenced on September 9, 2015. The cost has reached Rp 32.5 trillion to date.

(See also: What is the Fare for the Jabodebek LRT?)

According to Bisnis.com, this amount represents a Rp 2.6 trillion increase from the initial plan of Rp 29.9 trillion. This cost overrun is attributed to delays in completing the train depot land due to the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically affecting pre-operational costs and Interest During Construction (IDC) costs.

Head of the Jabodebek LRT Division at KAI, Mochamad Purnomosidi, affirmed that the Jabodebek LRT project will not experience further cost overruns before its operational launch.

“There was unfinished depot land at the time, so it inevitably caused delays that resulted in additional costs,” said Purnomosidi on Monday (May 15, 2023).

Compared to other modes of transportation, such as the Jakarta MRT Phase 2, the LRT project's value is significantly larger. MRT Phase 2, which began groundbreaking in 2022 and is estimated to be completed in 2029, cost Rp 25.3 trillion.

According to Kompas.com, this figure also represents an increase from the initial estimate of Rp 22.6 trillion. The cost overrun is due to an average increase in raw material prices of more than 50% since 2018, a consequence of the supply chain crisis and high demand after the Covid-19 pandemic.

"So, since 2018, there have been supply chain problems that we all know about for years, culminating in these years," said the Construction Director of PT MRT Jakarta (Persero), Silvia Halim, at the Jakarta MRT Journalist Forum on Tuesday (September 20, 2022).

According to the MRT website, Phase 2 consists of two stages: Phase 2A and Phase 2B. Phase 2A comprises seven underground stations (Thamrin, Monas, Harmoni, Sawah Besar, Mangga Besar, Glodok, and Kota) with a total track length of approximately 5.8 kilometers.

Phase 2B consists of two underground stations (Mangga Dua and Ancol) and a depot in West Ancol, with a total track length of approximately six kilometers. Phase 2B is currently in the feasibility study stage.

The project value of MRT Phase 2 is also higher than Phase 1, which is now operating smoothly, at Rp 16 trillion, as reported by Okezone.com.

Despite this, the LRT and MRT do have differences, primarily in their rail usage.

Otoklix.com notes that the MRT uses a pair of rails, while the LRT uses three. The MRT's power source is above the train, while the LRT's is below. There are also differences in passenger capacity, number of carriages, speed, and number of stations.

In common, both modes have high speeds, adjusted to their operational range.

(See also: MRT Jakarta Has Near-Perfect Punctuality, Here's the Trend Since its Initial Operation)