Indonesia: Sojitz And L&T Consortium Secure Contract For 5.8 Km Jakarta MRT Extension Project

The Japanese trading house Sojitz has signed a 45 billion yen ($290 million) contract with MRT Jakarta, operator of Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit, to extend the subway network within the congested central region of Indonesia's capital.

The extension project involves addition of around 5.8 kilometres of track, linking Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (HI) Station to Kota Station in central Jakarta on the MRT's North-South Line in central Jakarta.

Under the contract, Sojitz will undertake the engineering, procurement, and installation of overhead contact systems, platform screen doors, and trackwork, as well as power distribution, signaling, and communications systems.

The trading house has teamed up with India's Larsen & Toubro, along with a local construction firm, who will serve as subcontractors for the project.

Scheduled to commence in May, the construction of the 5.8-kilometre extension to Kota station is slated for completion by 2030.

In April 2019, Indonesia's inaugural underground subway system, the Jakarta MRT's North-South Line, launched operations, stretching from Lebak Bulus station to Bundaran HI.

The project for the construction of the Jakarta MRT is supported by the Japanese government via a yen-based official development assistance (ODA) loan provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under its Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) programme.

Plans are currently in place for both the extension of the North–South Line as well as the construction of a new East–West subway line.

The consortium of Sojitz and L&T is also a major contractor for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, overseen by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).

In January, NHSRCL signed a contract agreement with Sojitz & L&T Consortium for executing electrical works on the MAHSR project. The scope of the contract includes en-to-end work for 2x25 kV electrification systems suitable for speeds up to 320 kmph, involving Japanese Shinkansen system-based traction power supply.