Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. has won a contract to build part of the second phase of the mass rapid transit system project in Jakarta.

The system's operator, PT. MRT Jakarta, held a signing ceremony Tuesday in the Indonesian capital to award the 4.6 trillion rupiah ($316 million) contract to a joint venture between Sumitomo Mitsui Construction and Indonesian state-owned firm PT. Hutama Karya.

The joint venture will undertake the CP203 section of the phase 2 of the MRT project, including construction of a 1.4-kilometer tunnel between Mangga Besar Station and the Kota Tua area as well as the building of Kota Station and Glodok Station, according to the operator.

The construction is scheduled to take 72 months, starting in September 2021 and ending in August 2027.

Sumitomo Mitsui Construction and Hutama Karya were also involved in the first phase of the Jakarta MRT project.

In the construction section, there are many buildings of cultural value, notably in the old town. Entrances to new stations will be designed with consideration given to the scenery.

Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan, who attended the signing ceremony, expressed hope that the project will be carried out with the cooperation of the central and local governments, publicly owned companies and private companies.

The transportation system's phase 2 construction has been behind schedule following unsuccessful tenders. The first section of phase 2 went to Japanese general contractor Shimizu Corp. and Indonesia's PT. Adhi Karya in a contract in February last year.

The operator hopes to sign contracts for civil engineering and railroading works of the remaining sections by July. (NNA/Kyodo)

==Kyodo

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