Regarding The Jakarta-Surabaya High-speed Rail Project, Minister Of Transportation Budi: We Focus On Restricting KCJB Development

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi said that currently his party is still focused on completing the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train.

Regarding the construction of the Jakarta to Surabaya high-speed train, Budi said this was a long-term project plan.

"Despite the discussion of the long-term plan for the construction of the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train, we are currently focusing on completing the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train which is targeted to be operational by 2023," said Minister of Transportation Budi, Friday, November 4.

Budi said the construction of the high-speed rail project was carried out in the long term and gradually.

"The MRT has been initiated for a long time, namely 1985, but it requires a long process to finally start construction starting at the end of 2013. It took more than 28 years to make it happen. Likewise, the Fast Train certainly takes a long period of time," he said.

Therefore, Budi said the government must have long-term plans to project the needs of transportation infrastructure in the future.

"Of course, the long-term plan is carefully prepared by involving various ministries/agencies as well as other related parties, to jointly discuss it," he said.

Not only that, said Budi, the government must also prepare a funding mechanism.

For projects that have a high level of commerciality such as high-speed trains, later the government will take advantage of the government's cooperation scheme with business entities (PPP), both state-owned enterprises or national and foreign private sectors. "In the midst of limited APBN capabilities, we have to look for alternatives through creative funding. So that it does not interfere with the priority APBN for more basic needs," he said.

Budi said, the construction of transportation infrastructure was not only completed when building its physical condition. According to him, but also have to make sure it can be felt by the community so that what has been built is not in vain.

"We also have a plan that this high-speed train will later be connected to a number of transportation nodes, for example with Kertajati Airport, which is projected that if the Cisumdawu toll road is completed, Kertajati Airport will be more crowded," he said.

For your information, the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train will pass through a number of cities, namely, the city of Jakarta-Karawang-Bandung-Kertajati-Purwokerto-Yogyakarta - Solo-Madiun-Surabaya. Later this high-speed train trip from Jakarta-Surabaya will be reached with only 4 hours.

With this fast train, it is hoped that it will grow new economic points in a number of areas that are passed.

Beside the south lane fast train, the semi-fast train in Surabaya is also planned to pass north.

In addition, it is planned to transport urban mass MRT and LRT not only in Jakarta but also other cities such as Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Makassar, Semarang and Bali.

The government in this case plans to conduct studies involving world financial institutions such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and other consultants from abroad.