Safer Crossings as Jakarta Builds Its First Extended Concourse

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Jakarta continues to prioritize pedestrian comfort. A subsidiary of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Jakarta, Jakarta Transit Integration (ITJ) company, is currently constructing the city's first extended concourse project near the iconic Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (HI).

Located directly beneath the Bundaran HI Astra Transjakarta bus stop, this Bundaran HI MRT Extended Concourse will serve as a convenient underground pedestrian crossing that doubles as a multifunctional retail space. ITJ President Director Ferdiansyah Roestam shared updates on the project’s progress at Wisma Nusantara in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

According to him, the project aims to handle an expected surge in passengers as the MRT expands from Phase 1 (Lebak Bulus–Bundaran HI) to Phase 2 (Bundaran HI–Kota). Projections show that station capacity will grow from 11,000 to 17,000 people, adding up to 6,000 passengers per station.

“The key point is that the extended concourse is being built as a space to support increased ridership and visitor numbers, which are expected to rise as the MRT route extension from Phase 1 continues into Phase 2. It is projected that there will be an increase of more than 6,000 passengers at a single station,” Ferdi conveyed.

As Jakarta’s first underground connectivity project, the development draws inspiration from the successful elevated connection built at Blok M Station in 2019, which boosted local business and foot traffic. From an urban design perspective, this new facility acts as a central hub, allowing pedestrians to easily cross between the west and east sides of Bundaran HI without disrupting street-level traffic.

“This is a first. But an elevated connection has already been implemented, initiated by MRT Jakarta in 2019 at a different station, Blok M Station. We saw that precedent ultimately lead to economic regeneration and more vibrant activity. And we hope this will also happen in the extended concourse area,” Ferdi said during a site visit with journalists.

Ferdi explained that to improve pedestrian safety, global urban design standards encourage "layering", separating pedestrians from street traffic. Following models used in cities like Singapore, where underground networks connect major hubs like Orchard Road, Jakarta first planned these underground links between 2017 and 2018.

“I have to say, this concept doesn’t belong to Indonesia, it belongs to the whole world. It’s about reducing at-grade crossings so people can be safer, more comfortable, and avoid crossing paths with vehicles. That’s the core of urban design guidelines. We’re used to seeing Singapore, where everything goes underground, and it turns out the space beneath is very vibrant,” Ferdi noted during the Q&A session.

Technically, the concourse stretches between the Plaza Indonesia and Grand Hyatt complex on the west side and Wisma Nusantara and the Pullman Hotel on the east side. The project includes new entrances, named “Muara 1” on the west and “Muara 2” on the east (equipped with stairs, escalators) and elevator access to the bus stop above. ITJ also designed direct connections to the basements of Wisma Nusantara and Plaza Indonesia.

As of July 2026, physical construction reached 21.4%, slightly ahead of the 21.07% target. Ferdi said the project is set for completion in May 2027 and will officially open in June 2027 to mark Jakarta’s 500th anniversary.

“In August, we’ll aim to reach 24.8%. By the end of this year, we plan to have 45% of the project completed. Since this is a multi-year project, we’ll continue working toward our May 2027 completion target so it can be officially inaugurated in June 2027,” he explained.

Ferdi stated that construction for the new concourse began in February 2026, with crews currently building new escalators and elevators. Looking ahead, he said the Jakarta Provincial Government and MRT Jakarta plan to extend the underground network even further beneath the Bundaran HI Fountain to move all pedestrian crossings below street level for a safer city.