TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa asked President Joko Widodo or Jokowi to build rail-based transportation such as mass rapid transit (MRT) in East Java. She expected urban transportation to be a connectivity of Gerbangkertosusila (Gresik–Bangkalan–Mojokerto–Surabaya–Sidoarjo–Lamongan) area.

“Jakarta has already had 3 rings of MRT, and soon to be four. Gerbangkertosusila including Surabaya has no single ring. So we can imagine regions with a radius of 100 kilometers from Surabaya will be a megapolitan in the near future,” said Khofifah in Presidential State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday, June 18.

However, she added, the President deemed the train construction was too pricey. “According to the President, MRT construction is quite expensive because it may cost Rp1.2 trillion per kilometer, while LRT Rp426 billion,” she said.

The former Social Minister said that Gerbangkertosusila is in fact only connected with toll roads, therefore, public transportation is necessary for the area to increase the traffic.

Khofifah then planned to take another option; add more commuter cars and railways in Gerbangkertosusila that would be ordered to state-owned manufacturing company PT Industri Kereta Api (PT INKA) through a regional-run company.

She further mentioned that regents of Gerbangkertosusila regions were ready to reoperate train stations in their respective areas. In addition, state-owned railway operator PT KAI has accepted the option, yet the Governor must submit a route permit to Transportation Ministry. Khofifah hoped the plan could be realized by 2020.

FRISKI RIANA