Indonesia's capital city Jakarta inaugurated on 24 March its first mass rapid transit (MRT) system, a project seen as crucial to addressing its worst traffic congestion.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (centre) checks the Mass Rapid Transit facilities with Jakarta's Governor Anies Baswedan (second from right) and ministers during the MRT inauguration ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 24 March, 2019. (Photo: EPA-EFE)

President Joko Widodo and other officials attended the inauguration ceremony for the 16km line, which was built for almost six years.

The new line, which cost around 1.1 billion USD, opened to the public on 25 March with tickets slated to be free during the first week.

The train system runs above and below ground and stretches from the central Hotel Indonesia to the southern reaches of the South-east Asian megalopolis of some 30 million people.

It aims to cut travel time between the two points to just 30 minutes from about two hours, offering some relief to frustrated commuters long used to spending much of their day stuck in traffic.

Construction on a second line linking downtown to Jakarta's northern port also began on 24 March, and is expected to be completed around 2024.

MRT Jakarta is set to serve 65,000 daily passengers during its first year of operation.-

(Source: VNA)