INKA Prepares KRL Technology Modification Study, What For?

JAKARTA - PT Industri Kereta Api (Persero) or INKA is preparing a study to retrofit or modify the technology of the Electric Rail Train (KRL) which will be operated by PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI).

As is known, the modification of this technology has recently been widely discussed. The reason is, the Ministry of Industry assesses that retrofitting is the most likely option for the government to take.

President Director of PT INKA Eko Purwanto explained that the basic thing for this retrofit is to replace the technology. Based on INKA's study, this refraction of KRL takes 16 months.

"We are currently conducting a study on the retrofitting of the KRL trains at PT KCI, and to carry out retrofitting according to our calculations it will take 16 months and can increase the lifetime of use (lifetime) over 10 years," he said in a meeting with Commission VI of the DPR, Monday, March 27.

Eko explained that the 16 months consisted of a manufacturing process starting from the engineering, design, procurement, production and testing stages, so that shipments could be made in the first week of the 17th month.

"Overall, from our study, we need 16 months starting from engineering, design until later we do a test and are ready to deliver to KCI," he said.

Karena itu, sambung Eko, perlu dilakukan re-engineering dari awal dan ini harus dipertimbangkan dengan cermat. Serta tepat, sehingga hasil benar yang diharapkan," tuturnya.

Previously reported, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang said the government is currently prioritizing domestic products, namely by retrofitting or adding the latest technology to the Jabodetabek KRL trainset, of which 10 trainsets will retire this year and 19 retire next year.

"The government has decided to retrofit, we will see from the results of the audit how much we can retrofit. We will retrofit as much as possible," he told reporters at JIExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta, Thursday, March 9.

Agus assessed that the KRL Trainset so that it can be used domestically must at least contain 40 percent of the domestic component level (TKDN). Therefore, his party encourages that domestic product spending be maximized.

Furthermore, he said, domestic spending will also absorb more labor. "If imports don't exist, we will retrofit so that the workforce in Indonesia," he said.