Jakarta. More details have emerged about Jakarta's plan to build an underground pedestrian network linking the city's busiest MRT station with several landmark hotels and shopping malls, as authorities seek to make the capital more walkable and reduce reliance on cars.

The new underground concourse at Bundaran HI MRT Station will eventually connect directly to Hotel Indonesia Kempinski, Grand Indonesia, Mandarin Oriental Jakarta and Plaza Indonesia, while providing seamless access to the city's central business district.

"The future connections will extend to the Hotel Indonesia Kempinski area, Grand Indonesia and Mandarin," Yulham Ferdiansyah Roestam, president director of Integrasi Transit Jakarta, said on Wednesday during a site visit to the project.

The expanded concourse, known as the extended concourse, will feature two new public entrances. The western entrance, Muara 1, will provide access to Plaza Indonesia and the Grand Hyatt Jakarta, while the eastern entrance, Muara 2, will connect pedestrians to the Pullman Jakarta Indonesia hotel and Wisma Nusantara.

The 300-meter underground passage will cover approximately 4,200 square meters and function as a fare-free public area, allowing pedestrians to move between destinations without entering the MRT's paid zone.

Designed to accommodate around 3,200 people, the air-conditioned space will also serve as a venue for exhibitions, public events and other community activities.

The project includes knockdown wall panels that will allow future connections to Hotel Indonesia Kempinski and Mandarin Oriental once detailed designs are finalized with the Jakarta provincial government.

"For Kempinski and Mandarin, the future connections are still in the design finalization stage," Yulham said. "For now, we are focusing on building the new western entrance in front of the Grand Hyatt and the eastern entrance near the Pullman."

MRT Jakarta said construction of the extended concourse is 22% complete. The Rp 148.2 billion ($8.3 million) project, led by Integrasi Transit Jakarta, is scheduled for completion in June 2027, coinciding with Jakarta's 500th anniversary.

The new underground walkway forms part of the city's broader transit-oriented development (TOD) strategy around the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, one of Jakarta's busiest commercial districts.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung first unveiled the plan in June, saying the underground network would connect several of the capital's landmark hotels directly to the MRT system as part of efforts to improve pedestrian mobility and reduce traffic congestion.

Bundaran HI Station, located 18 meters below ground, is one of the busiest stations on Jakarta's north-south MRT line, serving an average of 450,000 to 500,000 passengers each month.

Ridership is expected to increase further when the first segment of the MRT's Phase 2A extension between Bundaran HI and Monas begins operations in 2027. The expanded concourse is also part of preparations for the second segment of Phase 2A, which will extend the line to Kota and is targeted to open in 2029.

City officials expect the project to strengthen connectivity between public transport, commercial centers and office towers while making Jakarta's downtown more accessible for pedestrians.

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