REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Jakarta Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo stated that he is placing priority on the development of mass transportation, including monorails and mass rapid transportation (MRT), in a bid to overcome the city's traffic congestion problem.

"We do not refuse to build the six toll ways, but are placing a priority on mass transportation modes, such as the monorail and MRT," said Joko Widodo, who is also known as Jokowi, in city hall on Thursday.

Jokowi admitted that Jakarta is still lacking in toll roads, but the city municipal government has decided to make mass transportation a priority.

Regarding the president's earlier criticism of Jakarta's traffic congestion, Jokowi said that it is the president's duty to remind officials about problems and encourage the finding of solutions.

"If he (the president) reminds us, it is his duty to encourage us," Jokowi said.

"We are in a position to be reprimanded in the way the president seeks to motivate our performance," he said.

Previously, the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) of the Ministry of Public Works was still waiting for regional regulations related to the construction of six toll roads in Jakarta.

Construction of the six toll road projects in the city of Jakarta is divided into several phases and is targeted to be completed by 2022. The total length of the six toll roads is about 69.77 kilometers.

In a written statement, the Head of the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) of the Ministry of Public Works, Ahmad Ghani Ghazaly, said that the first development phase consists of the 20.23 kilometer Semanan-Sunter segment, to cost Rp9.76 trillion, and the 9.44 kilometer Sunter-Pulo Gebang corridor, expected to cost Rp7.37 trillion.

The second phase is the 12.65 kilometer Duri Pulo-Kampung Melayu corridor, costing Rp5.96 trillion, and the 9.6 kilometer Kemayoran-Kampung Melayu, to cost Rp6.95 trillion.

The third phase is the development of the 8.70 kilometer Ulujami-Tanah Abang corridor, costing Rp 4.25 trillion.

The fourth stage is the 9.15 kilometer Pasar Minggu-Casablanca, with an investment of Rp5.71 trillion.

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