Jakarta (VNA) –Indonesia has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with two partners fromthe Republic of Korea to develop a light rail transit (LRT) system connecting IGusti Ngurah Rai Airport and Bali city’s centre.

The project will be carriedout under a partnership among Indonesia’s state-owned construction firm NindyaKarya, Korea Rail Network Authority (KRNA) and Korea Overseas Infrastructureand Urban Development Corporation (KIND).

It will cost an estimated 5trillion IDR, or 400 million USD.

The LRT will span 4.78 kilometers with four stationsbetween a would-be satellite terminal in Kuta, Bali’s tourist epicenter, andthe airport, said NindyaKarya acting president director Haedar A. Karim.

The projectwill look like Jakarta Metro Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Haedar said, adding thatit will be built 30 metres below surface level.

He alsonoted that the construction will start about three months after the MoU signingand the project will be put into use in the next 1.5 or 2 years.

The LRTservice could benefit millions of visitors who travel in and out of the airporteach year and help reduce traffic congestion inthe resort island.

According to StatisticsIndonesia (BPS), the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport welcomes around 5.7 million visitorsfrom January to November 2019.

Aside from Bali’s LRT project, the KRNA has also provided 500 million USD to finance the development of theLRT connecting the velodrome facility in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, with DukuhAtas, Central Jakarta. 

Indonesia’s North Sumatra provincialadministration is also planning to build an LRT system this year with the helpof KRNA to connect four cities - Medan, Binjai, Deli Serdang and Karo./.