Budi Karya: Jakarta-Surabaya High Speed Train Has Entered The Ministry Of Transportation's Planning Blue Print

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi on the sidelines of the 2023 HUB RUN event which was held at Surabaya City Hall, Sunday (8/10/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Diskominfo Surabaya)

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi stated that the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train had entered the blueprint for planning the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub). "We were ordered to make a blue print from Bandung to Surabaya. Of course what we made is a concept that continues what we have placed on the basis of the transformation of the high-speed train," said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi during an activity in Surabaya, Antara, Sunday, October 8. The government has proven that the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train can be realized. For this reason, his party then made mappings or designs with certain variables that made the train more efficient. "Imagine Jakarta-Surabaya for 3.5 hours," he said. According to him, one of the calculation variables is related to costs. The calculation of this cost takes into account which lanes or roads will be traversed by the high-speed train. "Well, it affects. Continue to do it, continue to buy people's power, this is calculated as an optimization," he said. However, Minister of Transportation Budi emphasized that the existence of the high-speed train was not solely for commercial purposes. The existence of transportation must of course have a shared responsibility, either for the private sector or the government. "In fact, those who will get economic revival are the cities that are passed. Meanwhile, the costs issued on the high-speed train pay off to the economic revival in many regions. Let's say that Purwokerto, Cirebon, Jogja, Solo and Surabaya will definitely increase economic activity," he said. Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi stated that the Surabaya City Government (Pemkot) supports the plan to develop the high-speed train relationship. Moreover, the cities of Surabaya and Jakarta are one of the business centers in Indonesia. "Hopefully what the Minister (Relations) said can be realized (fast train) Surabaya-Jakarta. Because many businesses are in Surabaya and Jakarta," said Mayor Eri. According to him, if the Jakarta-Surabaya High Speed Train is realized, the public will have more choices of modes of transportation, both by air/airplane or high-speed trains. "So that transportation will have many choices, by air and train. We fully support and pray that the Surabaya-Jakarta (fast train) can be realized," he said. However, Mayor Eri admitted that currently there has been no further discussion between the Ministry of Transportation and the Surabaya City Government regarding the plan. However, this plan has been included in the blueprint for the Ministry of Transportation's planning.

"It has not been submitted or discussed, but that is what the Minister (Relations) put in the planning of the Ministry of Transportation. Hopefully it can be realized," he said.