President Asks AHY To Ensure Fast Trains Can Reach Surabaya

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) revealed that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had given instructions to his party to oversee the sustainability of the Jakarta - Surabaya High Speed Rail project.

Currently, the new high-speed rail line serves the Jakarta-Bandung route.

"There is a special task from the President to us, the Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure to oversee the sustainability of the high-speed train, so it is not only Jakarta-Bandung, it is hoped that it will reach Surabaya," said AHY at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, August 14.

According to him, the presence of the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train will be a major breakthrough in the mobility of people, goods, and services on the island of Java.

With the high speed rail system and ecosystem, the travel time will be much shorter, thereby strengthening inter-regional connectivity.

The government also plans to develop the concept of transit-oriented development (TOD) around high-speed train stations to create new residential areas and economic centers outside Jabodetabek.

"The point is how this can accelerate the mobility of our people on the island of Java," he said.

Furthermore, AHY conveyed that this plan is still in the stage of an in-depth study. This is because the Government wants to ensure that all technical aspects, financing, and land are carefully planned. Including learning from the experience of building the Jakarta Fast Train, which is the result of Indonesia-China cooperation.

"We want to make sure, apart from being based on experience, what is the lesson. Is there anything that we can improve in the future, but there is also a best practice. Things that are already good, can also be our reference," he explained.

He added that communication for this project was opened as widely as possible with various parties at home and abroad who have interests and abilities.

"We want this to be really successful, there are no significant obstacles in the technical sense or the sustainability of budgeting in the coming years. Therefore, we want to make sure in advance everything is visible," he said.

However, AHY admits that the construction of the high-speed train line to Surabaya will still face major challenges, ranging from land issues to coordination across ministries/agencies (K/L) and local governments.

"So it will definitely take time for us, not only cross-K/L, but also between the central and regional governments," he concluded.