The first phase of building Jakarta's Light Rail Transit (LRT) has started, with President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo pushing the button to officially kick off construction in Jakarta on Wednesday, a week after signing the relevant presidential regulation (Perpres).

'We talked about this project three years ago with Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama ' then deputy governor ' and the president director of PT. Adhi Karya,' said Jokowi in his speech marking the start of the project.

Jokowi underlined that the LRT was part of the mass transportation integration plan, along with the existing Transjakarta busway and the commuter train as well as the Mass Rail Transit (MRT), which is also still under construction.

'This project must be finished before the Asian Games in 2018,' Jokowi insisted, referring to the next quadrennial Asian Games that will be held in Indonesia.

The project will be divided into two phases, the second phase starting in early 2016, and both phases projected to finish by 2018.

The first phase of the construction will connect Cibubur in East Bekasi with Dukuh Atas, passing through Cawang. This phase will be 42.1 kilometers long, and include 18 stations.

The second phase will extend the network a further 41.5 kilometers, with routes including Cibubur-Bogor, Dukuh Atas-Palmerah-Senayan and Palmerah-Bogor.

PT. Adhi Karya, which was appointed by the government to take on the project, have prepared Rp 2.75 trillion (US$ 193 million) as initial capital of the project. (rad/bbn)