Reflection On The Collision Of The Turangga And Greater Bandung Trains: Joining The Old Age Of Indonesian Railway Infrastructure

Photos of the local Bandung Raya train air colliding with the Turangga train in Cicalengka, Bandung Regency, West Java, Friday (5/1/2024). (Between/Raisan Al Farisi/YU/pri)

JAKARTA The accident experienced by the Turangga andCommuter Line (CL) of Greater Bandung has attracted the attention of many parties. According to transportation observers, the accident is a reminder for all parties to improve rail safety management in Indonesia.

The accident occurred on a single track of 181 + 700 plots of road between Haurpugur Station and Cicalengka Station on Friday (5/1/2024) at 06.03 WIB.

A total of 287 passengers on the Turangga train and 191 passengers on the local train survived, while four people came from the train crew. The four train officers who died served as drivers, assistant drivers, stewards, and security officers.

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi said the Turangga train accident and the Greater Bandung Commuter Line train were a moment to improve services in the railway sector.

"The accident is an expensive lesson for us and let us work together to develop what is our service," said the Minister of Transportation in Jakarta, as quoted by Antara.

Mass transportation accidents, including trains, in Indonesia, have been a concern for a long time. Even foreign media also commented on the Turangga train accident with CL Bandung Raya last week. AFP said transportation accidents are commonplace in Indonesia.

The country with a vast archipelago where buses, trains, and even planes are often old and not well cared for, the report reads.

Meanwhile, based in Hong Kong, BNN Breaking wrote the article "Train Collision in Bandung: A Tragic Wake-Up Call for Indonesia's Aging Railway Infrastructure".

The article reports that the cause of the accident was an aging infrastructure.

"The train collision serves as a reminder of the frequency of train accidents in Indonesia, a country grappling with aging rail infrastructure. This incident highlights the longstanding safety concerns at railroad crossings, which are often the sites of the unfortunate events. As a result of the accident, chaos and destruction occurred, with carriages overturned and badly damaged scattered around the crash site," according to Hong Kong media.

Until now, the National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) is still investigating the cause of the Turangga train collision with CL Bandung Raya. Meanwhile, transportation observer Djoko Setijowarno said the train that had an accident was still suitable for use.

Djoko actually highlighted the importance of a double track in the railway. He said the double line was one of the important things to prevent accidents. In the case of collisions of the Turangga and CL Bandung Raya trains last week, the railway line was still single akasingle track so that the two-way train journey had to take turns.

In fact, this track is classified as crowded, with daily crossings of 60 commuter lines and 22 long-distance trains. During the 2023 Christmas and 2024 New Year holidays, there were four additional long-distance train trips, bringing a total of 26 long-distance trains crossing every day.

Regarding the single route at the accident site, Djoko, who is also the Deputy Chair of the Empowerment and Development of the Central Indonesian Transportation Society Region (MTI), said that the West Java Railway Engineering Center (BTP) was planning to work on a double route at the crossing.

This project is part of an effort to increase the number of railway lines in Bandung City and Bandung Regency. The double rail project stretches for 23 kilometers and is divided into two stages. Phase I extends from Gedebage-Cimekar-Rancaek-Hourpugur to 14 kilometers and stage II to 9 kilometers which is divided into two routes, namely from Kiaracondong-Gedebage and Haurpugur-Cicalengka.

The construction of a double track is being carried out by the West Java Railways Agency of the Directorate General of Railways of the Ministry of Transportation. The construction of this double line is targeted to be completed in 2024, so now the construction of the double line has not been completed," said Djoko in his statement.

"The work on this project was carried out during the multi-year year. Unfortunately, not after this project was realized, the Haurpugur-Cicalengka route had claimed casualties due to collisions between trains," he added.

Previously, Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin revealed that the construction of a double railway line in the plot of the Turangga train accident site and the Greater Bandung Commuter Line was completed in mid-2024. The location of the accident at the Haurpugur Station and Cicalengka Station in Bandung Regency is indeed one route, making it difficult and hampering the speed of train traffic.

"With double lanes, it can increase travel capacity and improve safety, so trains don't have to alternate with each other," said Djoko when confirmed by VOI.

"Currently in the process, it is being built. If the lane is a double track, the accident can be minimized," he added.

In addition, Djoko also assessed that the acceleration of electrification of the Greater Bandung Commuter Line needs to be implemented immediately to support the safety and comfort of public transport users.

"Security and comfort are the dream of public transport passengers, such as rail modes. The acceleration of electrification of the Greater Bandung Line Commuter is highly anticipated to be rushed. This train collision event on this line is a reminder for all parties to improve rail safety management in Indonesia," said Djoko..