Government Believes KRL Facilities Are Sufficient Even Though Imports Are Not Approved

Illustration of Used KRL Imports (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government believes that the electric rail train (KRL) facilities owned by PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) are still sufficient to fulfill public transportation services even though the application for imports of used KRL from Japan is not recommended by the government.

Deputy for Investment and Mining Coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs (Kemenko Marves) Septian Hario Seto in a press conference in Jakarta, Thursday, explained that based on a review report from the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), it was stated that the number of KRL currently operating is 1,114 units. This number does not include 48 units who have been temporarily suspended and 36 units are temporarily converted.

"If we are sure, and indeed outside of the 1,114 earlier, there are actually 44 units that will be conserved in stages in 2023. According to BPKP, the condition is also ready and has passed the operational feasibility test. So actually from the existing units, according to the results of the review from BPKP is still sufficient," he said.

Seto explained that based on the report on the results of the BPKP review, it was admitted that the overload (load) condition did occur, but during peak hours. However, overall, the occupancy in 2023 is 62.75 percent, by 2024 it is estimated that it will still be 79 percent and 2025 as much as 83 percent.

The results of the BPKP review, continued Seto, also compared the number of ready-to-use KRL fleets in 2019 as many as 1,078 units capable of serving 336.3 million passengers. Meanwhile, in 2023, the number of passengers is estimated to reach 273.6 million passengers with a total fleet of 1,114 units.

"So in 2023 the number of fleets is higher but the estimated number of passengers remains far less than 2019, which has fewer fleets," he added.

On average, the current number of passengers reaches 800 thousand per day, and can reach 900 thousand passengers per day in peak hour. However, this figure is considered to be still less than the number of KRL passengers, which in 2019 averaged 1.1 million passengers per day.

Furthermore, Seto said that if the government allowed imports for 10 used trainsets of trains, it was possible that the new train series would arrive gradually and its use could only be realized as early as 2024.

The retrofit option can be done at this time, although he admits that it is also possible that it will only be slim in 2024 because it will take about 16 months.

"So this is a planning problem, if planning can be done early, this is better," said Seto.