MRT Jakarta Phase 2A Tunnel Digging Starts on January 2022

TheIndonesia.co - MRT Jakarta Corp (Perseroda) started tunneling work in January 2022 for the MRT Jakarta Phase 2A CP 201 project from the Hotel Indonesia (HI) roundabout to National Monument (Monas).

MRT Jakarta Construction Director Silvia Halim explained that current activities at the Thamrin Station project, namely the construction of a D-Wall or underground wall and preparation of shafts for tunnel boring machines (TBM), have been in progress.

"We are preparing the TBM Shaft, at which point we will start the tunneling activity. This is currently underway in the field and the plan must be completed in December, so that our tunneling activity can start in January 2022," said Silvia as quoted by Antara news agency.

Silvia explained that the first tunnel drilling machine arrived at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta on November 20, 2021.

Currently, the TBM is in the process of customs clearance at the port and will be transported to the Thamrin Station project to be assembled in the field.

Meanwhile, the second TBM is also waiting for delivery to Indonesia at the port of Shanghai.

The TBM 1 that has arrived is fabricated at one of the factories belonging to a multinational company from Japan, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd in Hangzhou and Wuhu, People's Republic of China.

The construction of the MRT Jakarta phase 2A tunnel will use two TBM units which will be imported in stages for excavation at the HI Roundabout Station to Thamrin Station and Monas Station.

In addition to the preparation of the tunnel work, the progress of activities at Thamrin Station also includes the relocation of the Thamrin Clock Monument. Meanwhile, at Monas Station, the construction of an underground electric substation has begun and the construction of the base slab has been started.

Overall, the physical progress of the construction of the MRT Jakarta Phase 2A which connects the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout and Kota has reached 25.83 percent or is still within the appropriate target.