VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

People expect good air quality to support their daily activities. One of the efforts made by the government to increase the quality of air is by building Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system.

The MRT is expected to reduce congestion in the capital. The decline in congestion would reduce air pollution.

The MRT is also expected to encourage more people to shift from private vehicles to using public transportation services.

Executive director of the Committee for Leaded Gasoline Eradication (KPBB), Ahmad Syafrudin, remarked that the 16-kilometer phase 1 of the MRT, from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle in Central Jakarta, could reduce emissions to 85,680 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

The figure is obtained by taking into account the carbon dioxide emissions from 175 thousand people who cross phase 1 of the MRT.

Some 175 thousand people who cross phase 1 of the MRT contributed 171,360 tons of carbon dioxide per year. Around 64,260 tons of carbon dioxide came from motorbikes and 107,100 tons of carbon dioxide from cars.

Hence, the MRT becomes a new hope for people who want to breathe cleaner air and enjoy the blue sky in Jakarta. (ant)