WB provides 224 million USD to help Indonesia improve public transport

The World Bank has approved a 224 million USD package for Indonesia’s Mass Transit (MASTRAN) Project.

Vehicles on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia (Photo: AFP/VNA)

The project is aimed at improving transportation efficiency for Indonesia’s fast-growing urban populations and provide public transportation alternatives to cars and motorbikes.

Country Director for World Bank in Indonesia and Timor-Leste Satu Kahkonen said in a press release on June 1 that as almost 60 percent of Indonesia's GDP comes from urban areas, mobility in cities is crucial to ensuring economic competitiveness.

"This project will strengthen the collaboration between Indonesia's central and local governments and improve the technical expertise needed to plan and operate urban transport systems. By upgrading the quality of public transportation, the project will offer alternatives to motorcycles and cars and rein in pollution and congestion," Kahkonen added.

In addition to support from the World Bank, the project will receive financial support from the Indonesian government, Agence française de développement (AFD), and the private sector, bringing the total financing to 364 million USD./.

VNA