REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA -- State railway company PT. Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) will soon call a tender for the construction of tram transport mode, which is part of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project in Surabaya.

Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini said here on Sunday the construction of the tram line which will link South Surabaya and North Surabaya at a distance of 17 km is scheduled for completion this year.

"It is expected the project will be completed this year. According to them (PT KAI), it will not take long time to complete the project because the fund is already available," she said.

PT KAI has made final preparations for the construction of the tram line. "The construction of monorail network will follow in not so distant future. Residents of Surabaya who work for PT KAI will control the construction of the tram line so they will find it easy to do so," said Tri Rismaharini who is former chief of the Surabaya City Development Planning Board (Bappeko).

The tram line which covers a distance of 17 kilometers will connect Wonokromo in the south to Jalan Indrapura in the north via Jalan Pandegiling, Embong Malang, Kedungdoro, Pasar Blauran, Pasar Turi, Jalan Rajawali, Jembatan Merah, Tugu Pahlawan, Jalan Tunjungan and Jalan Panglima Sudirman.

The tram line will have 29 tram stops and the distance from one tram stop to another is 1.5 km-2 km. Each tram will consist of two cars with a capacity of carrying 200 passengers. The cars will be imported and the trams will use battery technology which enable them to run at a speed of 30 km/hour.

Chief of the Surabaya City Legislative Assembly (DPRD) Armuji had earlier expressed support for the construction of the tram line. He said nearly Rp11 trillion of the total funds to finance the project will come from the state budget.

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