JakartaPost-Aug 11
Bali plans to build a 2.2 trillion rupiah (US$123 million) electric tram to ease congestion and improve connectivity on the resort island, with the first phase expected to link I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with the popular tourist destination of Canggu. Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said the project, dubbed the autonomous rail rapid transit (ART), would replace a planned mass rapid transit (MRT) system that broke ground in 2024 but failed to attract sufficient investor interest. Koster said the ART system would be easier and less costly to build than the MRT because it is designed to integrate with existing road networks, while the MRT would require extensive underground tunnelling. “ART is far more efficient and easier to implement from a technological perspective,” Koster told the press recently. He said the project would begin next year, pending the issuance of a gubernatorial regulation. Koster said that the proposed electric tram system was estimated to cost 2.2 trillion rupiah, with state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) expected to play a role in financing and operating the system.
“The first phase was estimated to cost 1.2 trillion rupiah, with a further 1 trillion rupiah required for the second phase,” Koster said. However, Bali’s Transportation Agency head, Kadek Mudarta said that the financing arrangement for the project has not yet been finalized. “The financing scheme is still under discussion. One option is for PT KAI to make the investment. The required investment for rolling stock, infrastructure and operating costs will be determined based on the results of the feasibility study,” Mudarta told The Jakarta Post. He added that the feasibility study, which has not yet begun, would determine the most suitable concept and route for the proposed system. The tram could eventually serve areas beyond the proposed airport-to-Canggu route, Mudarta said. The Badung administration, where the proposed tram system would operate, plans to widen key roads to 24 meters and provide dedicated lanes for the tram, which is expected to travel at speeds of up to 40 km per hour. Read more at:
