Impact Of Muara Enim Flyover Collapses, KAI Refund Tickets 100 Percent

KAI (Photo: dock KAI)

JAKARTA - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) or KAI guarantees refunds for ticket purchases to prospective passengers 100 percent. This refund is due to disruption of train travel across Kertapati-Lubuklinggau, South Sumatra.

For your information, the disruption of this train journey was due to the collapse of the Bantaian flyover (guirder) project, Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra which hit the Gunung Megang-Penggiran train line on Thursday, March 7 at 11.00 WIB.

EVP of Corporate Secretary of KAI Raden Agus Dwinanto Budiadji said that prospective customers who experienced the impact of this operational disruption had been notified regarding the cancellation of travel via text message.

"For passengers who have tickets, they are given 100 percent ticket returns and can be taken at the departure stations of Kertapati, Prabumulih, Muara Enim, Lahat, and Lubuklinggau for the next seven days," he said in an official statement, Friday, March 8.

Agus explained that for the time being the railway line could not be passed and KAI officers were trying to evacuate the Babaranjang train series that was hit from the collapsed flyover.

As of Friday morning, KAI is still focused on carrying out the process of normalizing the route as well as evacuating the facilities and material girder. The evacuation update at 05.00 WIB, namely 5 coal carriages, has been lifted, 1 coal carriage is still crushed by a new girder, only 50 percent lifted and the new girder launcher lifts 40 percent.

"KAI involved 70 officers and heavy equipment in the form of cranes in the evacuation process. The evacuation process was hampered by the rain that flushed throughout the night," he explained.

Agus also said that KAI had handled passengers affected by travel disturbances with an overstay pattern or diversion by bus at Gunung Megang Station and Lahat station.

Furthermore, Agus said the construction of the flyover was the work of the National Strategic Project (PSN) which is currently under construction from the Ministry of PUPR.

"KAI appeals to all stakeholders who have projects or other work activities around the railway line to further improve project safety and train travel. We also apologize to customers for the obstructed train travel due to the collapse of the flyover construction on this train line," he said.