Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway Project to be Completed by 2021: Transport Minister
Transportation Minister in a group photo after reviewing two project work points in Purwakarta and Rancaekek, Bandung, Sunday (23/2). (Photo by: Ministry of Transportation)
Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi has expressed optimistism that the high-speed railway project connecting capital Jakarta with West Java’s provincial capital of Bandung can be completed by the end of next year.
“We are focusing on completing this project and it will be operational by the end of 2021. I have talked with PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC) team as the project implementer and we can make optimum efforts,” Budi said after reviewing two project work points in Purwakarta and Rancaekek, Bandung, Sunday (23/2).
To date, Budi added, the progress of the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway project has reached 44% and as for land acquisition alone, it has reached 99.96%.
The Minister also said there is still a plot of land in the Bandung area that is in the consignment stage. “The construction must meet the set target and there must be a transfer of technology,” he added.
Regarding Covid-19 or the coronavirus outbreak that hit mainland China that might affect the project, Budi said he had coordinated with PT. KCIC and ensured that the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway project will run as planned by empowering local workforce, which in turn will have an impact on improving the people’s economy.
“I am proud and elated to have a high speed railway project for the first time in Indonesia. This is done under a financing scheme of business-to-business, which means Indonesian private sector with Chinese private sector. This is a strategic project that we want because it does not burden our State Budget. Imagine, Rp83 trillion investment enters Indonesia from private sector in this project,” Budi said, adding that if this project is successful, it is not impossible that in the future it will continue to Surabaya.
Meanwhile, President Director of PT KCIC Chandra Dwiputra ensured that his company has anticipated a number of land conditions that are vulnerable at several points in West Java province.
In addition to land factors, according to Chandra, extreme weather lately has also been anticipated so that it is expected that it will not affect the construction process. “We have mitigated those vulnerable area. We have anticipated this” Chandra said.
For the record, PT KCIC is currently working on as many as 13 Tunnels or the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway tunnel.
The high speed railway is expected to have a length of 142.3 km with four stops, namely Halim Station, Karawang Station, Walini Station, and Tegalluar, Bandung, 80 km of which will be elevated roads.
The rest of the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway line is done on the land including tunnels that penetrate the hill.
The Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway is expected to reduce travel time, which is around 46 minutes with a speed of around 350 km/hour. (BKIP Kemenhub/EN)
Translated by: Muhardi
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas
