One of the world's most congested cities finally gets its first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system. 

Jakarta is home to nearly 10 million people with three million of them commuting into Central Jakarta during the weekdays. Rush hour can get incredibly hectic and navigating smoothly from one destination to the next being very difficult.

On Sunday, March 24, 2019, President Joko Widodo inaugurated the city's first MRT which has been in development for as long as four decades. The first phase of the new system is now open to the public but there are still more lines and stations being developed and expected to be fully completed by 2022.

The development of the MRT itself has been a long journey. The idea for this infrastructure project was introduced back in 1985. There have been more than 25 studies carried out throughout those years related to the possibility of the MRT system in Jakarta. But each time, it was concluded that the project wouldn't work. The economic and political crisis that occurred between the years of 1997 to 1999 in Indonesia was deemed to be one of the reasons for the halt in developments.

However, decades later, in 2012, a positive update emerged regarding MRT development. The governor of Jakarta at the time, Fauzi Bowo, inaugurated the announcement of the preparation for the construction of the MRT in South Jakarta.

His speech highlighted how the MRT could become a new culture for Indonesians and most importantly, a convenient, efficient and environmentally friendly transportation.

The construction of the MRT was then continued by the next governor, Joko Widodo, who is now Indonesia's president. Widodo, at the time, called the MRT project as one of the priorities in the 2013 Jakarta budget.

Tory Damantoro is the chairman of the Indonesia Transportation Society. He believes that while this new form of transportation is a huge step forward for the city's future growth, there is still a long way to go in helping the public to better understand.

"One of the biggest challenges for the MRT is shaping the mindset of the people because those who live in Jakarta and on the outskirts have been taught to use private vehicles for years. There was never an option that was more comfortable and precise before. The positive growth of this public transportation system will be a challenge, not just for the government, but for all of us as well," said Tory.

Many of the passengers on the MRT were delighted at the new system as well. Aldo is a college student that lives in the south of Jakarta. He commutes every day to attend his classes in the center of the city.

"I think this MRT will really help people like me, college students that are on a budget and need to travel affordably. It's also nice to see Jakarta has this just like other countries," said Aldo.

The project that has been stalled for decades has now been completed and the people of Jakarta has the option to take an alternative transportation system to beat the city's horrible congestion.