Humanity reached a milestone in 2008 with half the world’s population living in urban areas. A significant portion of urban population growth occurred in developing countries, with Indonesia urbanizing faster than any other in Southeast Asia. The UN predicts that Indonesia can expect urban population growth of up to 25% by 2025. Such a significant population shift from rural to urban areas presents a multitude of challenges. 

The Pluit Reservoir Revitalization Project is an initiative of the city of Jakarta to reduce urban flooding, improve water storage capacity and the quality of its prime water source. 

During MRT construction, each station is designed with a unique theme to reflect neighborhood characteristics. Several MRT stations will use high-density, mixed-use transit-oriented development (TOD) principles to synergize every element of public transit with surrounding communities along the route of the MRT’s first phase.

According to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, "the TOD Standard is a powerful tool to help shape and assess urban development. It focuses on maximizing the benefits of public transit and non-motorized mobility while placing the emphasis firmly back on the users: people."

Current Indonesian research suggests where TOD will be best suited for MRT stations; however, no definitive study establishes context-specific performance metrics that evaluate how local space, and the people within that space, will be impacted by TOD policy. With multiple goals from which to choose, local-level analyses that maximize socio-economic benefits are critically needed to bridge Indonesian macro-level transportation policy with micro-level indicators of urban development.