Close 269 Illegal Crossings, KAI Asks People Not To Reopen

KAI Logistics (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) Tbk closed 269 illegal crossings throughout October 2024. The public was also asked not to reopen closed crossings.

KAI Vice President Public Relations Anne Purba said KAI deeply regrets several people who are trying to reopen closed illegal crossings.

Furthermore, Anne said reopening illegal crossings could potentially cause the safety of train travel and threaten the safety of road users themselves.

"We strictly prohibit the public from reopening the level crossings that have been closed because it is dangerous. We also continue to urge the public to always increase traffic discipline, especially when at level crossings," he said in an official statement, Sunday, November 17.

Anne emphasized that the closure of illegal crossings that had been carried out by KAI was a concrete step in supporting the safety and security of train travel, as well as the implementation of Law No. 23 of 2007 concerning Railways.

He also said that KAI continues to improve safety at level crossings. One of the efforts made is to collaborate proactively with the Directorate General of Railways of the Ministry of Transportation (DJKA Kemenhub) to close a number of level crossings that are considered dangerous for road users and train trips.

"In 2024, from January to October 30, 2024, KAI together with the Ministry of Transportation's DJKA managed to close 269 level crossings throughout Java and Sumatra. In fact, on October 30, we together with the DJKA of the Ministry of Transportation closed 22 simultaneous crossings in all regions of operation and regional division of KAI," said Anne.

According to Anne, the closure of a level crossing that does not have a JPL number is not guarded, and/or is not gated which is less than 2 meters wide in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation No. 94 of 2018 Article 2 Paragraph 3, which requires the closure or normalization of the railway line for safety.

Therefore, Anne said that KAI strongly condemns the act of reopening closed crossings, this can make the unsustainable condition even higher.

From January to October 2024, continued Anne Purba, there were 298 traffic accidents at level crossings, both guarded and not guarded.

"Of these, 108 traffic accidents occurred at guarded crossings and 190 accidents occurred at unguarded crossings, involving 163 two-wheeled vehicles and 135 four-wheeled vehicles. This incident caused 300 victims, with details of 108 deaths, 78 serious injuries, and 114 minor injuries," explained Anne.

As an effort to improve safety, KAI has taken various steps since 2020, such as safety socialization involving the Department of Transportation, Railfans, and the community, the installation of 1,553 warning banners at vulnerable locations, as well as controlling 646 illegal buildings around the railway line.

In addition, KAI also proposes the construction of non-field crossings through flyovers or underpasses to the government, as well as providing maintenance and repair of equipment at level crossings. Currently, there are 3,693 level crossing points, consisting of 1,883 maintained points (50.98 percent) and 1,810 unmaintained points (49.01 percent).

The main tool for safety at these crossings is traffic signs. The existence of doorstops and doorkeepers is just a safety aid. So the main solution to avoid traffic accidents at traffic is traffic discipline," concluded Anne.