Jakarta. The planned extension of Jakarta’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network from Lebak Bulus in Jakarta to Serpong in Banten is expected to transform connectivity between the capital and its fast-growing satellite cities, while spurring economic activity in Banten Province.

Banten Governor Andra Soni said the North–South Line extension from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Serpong would mark a milestone in regional integration. He framed the project as “part of building civilization” given the intertwined populations of Banten and Jakarta.

“Banten’s population is roughly equal to that of Jakarta, and mobility between the two regions is extremely high. We believe this MRT line will accelerate Banten’s economic growth,” Andra told reporters in Serang.

Banten will account for about 17 kilometers of the planned 23-kilometer stretch, with the remainder in Jakarta. The line is included in the government’s 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan, though construction is not expected to begin soon as preparatory studies continue.

South Tangerang Deputy Mayor Pilar Saga Ichsan stated earlier this year that nearly 70 percent of the city’s 1.5 million residents commute to Jakarta, indicating the need for improved transportation links. Financing options under review range from government-to-government loans, similar to earlier phases of MRT construction, to public–private partnerships and purely private funding.

A memorandum of understanding signed between MRT Jakarta and property developer Sinar Mas Land has paved the way for a feasibility study on the Lebak Bulus–Serpong corridor. Andra said the study would assess institutional readiness, financial viability, and technical aspects, with coordination already underway with the Transportation Ministry, state railway operator KAI, and local governments across Greater Tangerang.

“We are committed to ensuring this project materializes. With the MRT, mobility between Jakarta and Banten will become smoother, and we are confident it will help reduce congestion,” Andra said.

The MRT expansion reflects the broader push to expand Jakarta’s mass transit system into a metropolitan network spanning multiple provinces. The 89-kilometer East–West Line, or Phase 3, is moving ahead with an international tender expected in October or November, backed by Japanese financing. Covering Balaraja in Banten to Cikarang in West Java, the line will feature 21 stations across 24.5 kilometers between East Jakarta’s Medan Satria and West Jakarta’s Tomang. Construction is targeted to begin in 2026, with early land acquisition already underway.

Meanwhile, Phase 2 of the MRT, an 11.8-kilometer northbound extension from the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout to Ancol Barat, is about halfway finished. Its six-kilometer section to Kota, budgeted at Rp 12 trillion ($739 million), is scheduled for completion in 2029.

Authorities are also conducting a feasibility study for Phase 4, a 12-kilometer line from Fatmawati to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. The corridor, which combines elevated and underground tracks, will include 10 stations and a depot at Kampung Rambutan, with public–private partnerships under consideration.

Andra said Banten’s involvement in the MRT shows the importance of business-to-business cooperation to deliver major infrastructure projects. “If we talk about fiscal capacity, only Jakarta might be able to finance a project like this on its own. That is why collaboration with the private sector is the wisest path,” he said.