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The provincial government is setting aside Rp 99 billion ($11 million) to fund land acquisitions needed to move South Jakarta’s Lebak Bulus sports stadium in order to free up space for a Mass Rapid Transit depot and station, an official said on Tuesday.

A new stadium, with a larger capacity and better facilities, will be built in Pesanggrahan, also in South Jakarta, to replace the existing stadium, said Ratiyono, the head of the city’s Youth and Sports Office.

“In addition to moving to a new stadium, we will also improve facilities and have a larger capacity at the new stadium,” Ratiyono said. He added that among the additional facilities included a swimming pool, a squash court and a futsal field.

He said his office was currently mapping the Pesanggrahan site and checking on the titles of land owners.

Ratiyono said the land acquisition would be conducted in two phases, seven hectares in 2012 and eight hectares later.

Jakarta Council member Wanda Hamidah reminded the city’s government to be careful with the land acquisition.

“There are many land brokers in Jakarta and the authorities should be careful not to be trapped by them. Negotiations should be conducted directly with land owners,” she said.

MRT Jakarta, the firm that will build the transportation network, will involve the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Goods and Services Procurement Policy Institution (LKPP) in the tender process.

“The presence of institutions such as the KPK and LKPP is part of our commitment that during the procurement process, PT MRT Jakarta will always consult and coordinate with those institutions,” MRT Jakarta director Tribudi Rahardjo said.

Tribudi said the agreement was expected to be signed with contractors in October and November, adding that preparation work to support the MRT project would begin in April.

“The construction preparations are conducted in parallel with the construction tenders so that the target of getting it operational by end 2016 can be met,” Tribudi said.

Tender briefings were held by the company on Monday, Tribudi said. He said that consistent with the instructions of the Jakarta governor, the company will be open, accountable and transparent from the start. He added that all members of the company’s procurement department had signed a pact of integrity.

The MRT Jakarta system will be 111 kilometers long and include a north-south corridor of 24 kilometers, and an east-west corridor of 87 kilometers.

The first phase of the north-south route involves the construction of the Lebak Bulus-Bundaran HI segment, which will be 16 kilometers long and have 13 stations. This phase is expected to be completed by 2016.

The second phase will involve the construction of an 8-kilometer Bundaran HI-Kampung Bandan stretch that is expected to begin operations in 2018.

The east-west corridor is still at the feasibility study stage and is not expected to be operational until at least 2024.

Editorial: Progress on MRT Must Not Be Derailed