Railroads Become Places For Citizens' Activities, Our Evidence Lack Of Public Space

The atmosphere of traders selling on the edge of the railroad tracks in Surabaya, East Java, Friday (4/2/2022). Even though it is dangerous, traders in the area continue to sell at the market every morning. (Ist)

JAKARTA The number of people using railroads as places of activity is proof of the lack of public spaces in various regions in Indonesia. The case of people being hit by a train can also be an example of the government's negligence regarding the safety of citizens.

A tragic tragedy occurred in Km 88+700 plots of Cikampek-Tanjung Rasa road, Online Hamlet, Pangulah Selatan Village, Kotabaru District, Karawang Regency, West Java, Sunday (22/9/2024).

There four residents of Karawang Regency died as a result of being hit by the Fajar Utama Train heading for Pasar Senen-Solo. It is known that four victims who died when they were hit by a train in Karawang were AA (37), MAI (7), S (63), and TA who were not yet known. Three victims were found lying around the scene, while TA was stuck in a locomotive and carried as far as 20 km to Subang.

Based on a video circulating on social media, the victim was recording the moment the Kertajaya Train heading for Surabaya-Pasar Senen passed by waving its hands on another rail line.

But at the same time, passing through Fajar Utama Solo's train from the opposite direction and directly hitting the four people. In fact, according to eyewitnesses, the two trains had repeatedly sounded the locomotive, but residents ignored it.

After the incident, PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) firmly prohibited people from doing activities on the railway line, except for operational purposes. This is done solely for the sake of safety and minimizing accidents and protection of transportation users.

The prohibition of activities on railroads has actually been regulated by Law Number 23 of 2007 concerning Railways. In general, the prohibition is contained in Chapter XV articles 178 to Article 185.

The ban is quite specific, ranging from the prohibition of building buildings, creating places, planting types of trees, placing goods on railroad lines to the prohibition of carrying out activities on the railway line.

While the prohibition of doing good in the railway line contains Article 179 which reads: "Everyone is prohibited from carrying out activities, either direct or indirect, which can result in land shifts on the railway line, thus disrupting or endangering train travel."

Violations of the prohibition stated in Article 179 can be subject to a maximum imprisonment of 1 (one) year and/or a maximum fine of IDR 250 million.

Although the prohibition on rail activities is regulated in law, in reality there are still many people who violate it. Transportation observer and Executive Director of the Institute for Transportation Studies (Instran) Deddy Herlambang emphasized that, like roads, railway lines are also dangerous so they cannot be used for residents' activities.

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) firmly prohibits people from doing activities on the railway line, except for operational purposes. (ANTARA/HO-Humas PT KAI)

For the case that occurred in Karawang, Deddy assessed that residents ignored their own safety. As adults, they should be more vigilant and warn children not to play on the railroad track. However, understanding and socialization about personal safety are still minimal.

Another transportation observer, Djoko Setijowarno, also expressed the same thing. He revealed that residents should be able to avoid this incident.

"This is the fault of the residents, especially there are adults who come, they should be avoided. This is a lesson for residents, don't be tight on the tracks, take care of the children," said Djoko via text message to VOI.

"The local government needs to carry out socialization of safety along the runway to remind residents," he added.

According to residents, the location of the collision was a favorite place for residents to relax and exercise in the morning and evening because the atmosphere was cool near the rice fields.

Actually, the train incident hit residents on the track, this is not the first time this has happened. On the same day the incident in Karawang, a resident of Gunung Gajah Village, Lahat Regency, South Sumatra, was shocked by the discovery of the body of a young man allegedly killed by a train.

According to KAI officers, the victim was hit by the Sindang Marga train heading for Linggau-Palembang. Local residents said that on the night of the incident the victim was hanging out at the scene with his friends. However, he was late when the train from Lubuk Linggau to Palembang passed.

Previously, a man with the initials AYD (24), in Grogol, West Jakarta was also killed when he was playing sports on the train line. At the time of the incident, the victim was wearing a headset so it was suspected that he was not aware of the arrival of the train. Then in 2021, a boy with the initials D (16) was killed when he was hit by a train at a railroad crossing in the East Peninggaran Village area of RT 03 RW 09, Kebayoran Lama Utara, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta.

A number of collisions on railroads according to the City Planning Lecturer (PWK) as well as transportation observers from Trisakti University, Yayat Supriatna, were not solely due to individual negligence.

Instead, he highlighted the habit of residents turning railroads into recreation spaces or places of activity. According to him, this is proof that the local government has failed to provide a proper public space for the community.

Because they do not have adequate open space, people finally use the railway line to gather. "(The area around the railroad) is a form of space for socializing that is structured or formed due to the lack of open space for the public," Yayat explained.

Yayat argues that this case is a form of cultural disorder that causes structural negligence.

"When viewed from two sides, it includes structural and cultural negligence. So from one side of regulation from the local government to remind it is not optimal, on the other hand there is a habit of people gathering who do not understand the meaning of danger," added Yayat.

According to Yayat, the case of people being hit by a train can also be an example of the government's negligence in ignoring the safety of citizens. Not only safety around the railway line, children who play football with their friends on the highway are also examples that cannot be ignored.

He regretted the absence of public spaces, thus forcing children to use the highway for their playgrounds. Yayat said that this phenomenon occurred because of the lack of public space as well as the lack of safety education by the government.