It is considered that the construction of the Makassar Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) will not have a significant impact on the economy of Makassar and South Sulawesi (Sulsel).
[The Integrated Motorway Train (MRT) passes through Asean Station, Jakarta, Sunday (4/12/2022)./Bisnis-Himawan L Nugraha.]
It is projected that the construction of the Makassar mass rapid transit (MRT) will not have a significant impact on the economic development process of Makassar and South Sulawesi (Sulsel). It is feared that very high costs with a low level of passenger risk will actually have a bad effect on the economic acceleration of this region.
Hasanuddin University (Unhas) economist Prof. Hamid Paddu believes that Makassar does not need an MRT yet because it is projected that it will actually harm investors. He suggested that the government should first focus on existing mass transportation and improving road access.
Hamid said that any infrastructure development will certainly encourage acceleration which will ultimately increase economic growth in a region. Especially in Makassar, it will be closely related to the construction of toll roads and trains because they will be integrated with each other.
It’s just that if you look at the volume of people using mass transportation in Makassar, it is feared that the MRT will not be able to make a profit. This is because the cost of building the MRT is very large, the planned line construction is not that long, and the traffic conditions in Makassar are not too congested compared to Jakarta.
“Makassar’s traffic jams are not that significant compared to Jakarta or Java. Then the MRT costs are very large compared to the benefits. If you look at the medium term, 5-10 years may not return (the capital) because not many people will ride. This is different from Jakarta, where the volume of people is dense “So it can accommodate 1000 passengers in one go, well Makassar might not get it,” he explained to Bisnis, Monday (28/8/2023).
Therefore, Hamid said that the government should focus more on improving other mass transportation such as Bus Parks and trains because the benefits are clearer. Apart from that, road access in Makassar is also still being widened or repaired, so people will need this more.
[Original article MRT Makassar Sebaiknya Jangan Dibangun Dulu, Ini Asumsinya by sulawesi.bisnis.com. Translation by Google Translate.]
Leave a Reply