Regarding The KRL Route To Be Extended To Karawang, KCI: Needs Study

Illustration of the Jabodetabek KRL. (photo: x @doubleogent)

JAKARTA - The government had plans to extend the electric rail line (KRL) to Karawang. However, the plan has not yet been implemented. One of the factors is due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

The Corporate Secretary of PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia or KAI Commuter, Anne Purba, explained that an extension of the route to Karawang requires a study. One of them is about the required budget.

Anne also said that the domain from the extension of the route to the station's reactivation was at the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub).

"The name is reactivation of the station, the extension of the route must have been discussed in advance. Because we need study, preparation. The study is there (DJKA) too but we support the data," he said when met at Gambir Station, Sunday, November 26.

Profits If The Extension Of The KRL Route Is Realized

According to Anne, there are opportunities for economic development in areas that are passed by KRL, including later if the extension of the KRL route to Karawang is realized.

"Development, then residential areas have also begun to develop, we also see that the industry is very extraordinary and will definitely have an effect," he said.

With the presence of KRL Commuter in Karawang, continued Anne, there will be more and more public transportation users. As a result, pollution is also decreasing. Currently, the farthest Commuter Line KRL route to the east is to Cikarang.

"It must be pollution, efficiency, then maybe a distance of travel that can indeed be cut," he said.

Previously, the Ministry of Transportation acknowledged that there was a plan to extend the Jabodetabek KRL route to Karawang, West Java. However, it is not certain when the plan can be realized.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation, Adita Irawati, said plans to extend the KRL route to Karawang emerged in 2019. However, it has not been worked on yet because at that time there was a COVID-19 pandemic.

Even though it has been four years since this plan emerged, Adita admits that she still has not confirmed whether the KRL route can be extended to Karawang.

"It's still under discussion. That's why we have to ensure budget needs and others," he said.