Minister Of SOEs Says Plans For Fast Trains To Connect Until Surabaya Are Still Being Calculated

Fast Train (Photo: Doc. KCIC)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir has opened his voice regarding the plan to connect the high-speed train to Surabaya. He said, this plan is still being calculated.

"Yesterday we were recalculating, to be more efficient it could also be pushed to Surabaya, but this is still being calculated," he said at Commission VI of the House of Representatives (DPR), Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, September 14.

Erick said, many developed countries already have fast trains. However, Erick emphasized that the construction of this fast train must be calculated well.

"Developed countries such as France, Italy, England, China even have up to 26,000 km. If we want to progress, we must be able to. "But of course, with good calculations, it's not just euphoria to have a fast train," said Erick.

On this occasion, Erick also touched on the operation of the Jakarta-Bandung Fast Train. He said, people will be able to use this mode of transportation on October 1.

"The President said that on October 1, it is hoped that people can start trying the pleasure, speed and also something that really proves that Indonesia is a developed country when we have the high-speed train now," he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said China was ready to support the government's plan to continue this project to Surabaya, East Java.

Luhut conveyed this after testing the Jakarta Bandung High Speed ​​Train with Chinese Prime Minister (PM) Li Qiang, on Wednesday, September 6. Both of them tried out the mode of transportation from Halim Station to Karawang Station.

"We discussed with the Chinese PM earlier about the fast train, regarding the prospect of a fast train reaching Surabaya according to the direction of the President (Jokowi). "I saw that he was very pragmatic and ready to cooperate," he said.