Kedungjati - Tuntang Track Re-activation is Driven, Not Just a Tourist Attraction

KAI, is working on the Kedungjati-Tuntang line which will be reactivated as a railway line. (IST)

JAKARTA - PT KAI's plan to revive the Kedungjati-Tuntang line is beginning to be seen as a real need, not a symbolic project. This 30 km long line is considered to be able to change mobility and economy in Semarang Regency to Salatiga.

"If the active line, maintenance is running. The asset is not lost," said transportation observer Djoko Setijowarno who is also the Indonesian Transportation Community Advisory Council (MTI), in a written statement received on Thursday, April 23. He emphasized that reactivation is important to maintain state assets while reopening transportation access.

This line is not a new track. Built since 1873 by the Netherlands-Indonesian Railway Company, the railway used to connect Semarang with Ambarawa as a logistics and military route. Now, the trail remains through a tourist route to the Ambarawa Railway Museum.

The opening of this route is expected not only for tourism, but also for transportation for the surrounding community. (IST)

Regular service stopped in 1976. The train lost to road transport. The infrastructure is aging, the cost is high, the passengers are down. The line was abandoned.

The reactivation effort had started in 2013-2015. However, the progress stopped. The track that had been installed is now covered with bushes.

According to Djoko, who is also an academician of the Civil Engineering Prodi at Unika Soegijapranata, this condition shows that state assets are left without function. In fact, if operated, this line can become a link between tourist and economic areas.

The Kedungjati-Tuntang route opens access to Rawa Pening, Bandungan, to the slopes of Mount Ungaran. This route also has the potential to transform Tuntang Station from a tourist spot into a long-distance travel hub.

The benefits do not stop at tourism. This line can reduce the burden of national roads, especially on the Bawen section which is prone to accidents. Commuter trains can be a daily choice for residents.

Djoko also highlighted the potential of logistics. Areas such as Tuntang, Bringin, to Kedungjati can be reconnected in the distribution of goods. The impact, the local economy is also moving.

This reactivation also brings back dead stations such as Bringin and Gogodalem. New activities can grow, from local transportation to small businesses around the station.

The reactivation of this line is not a matter of reviving old memories. What is brought back is the access of residents, safer transportation options, and economic opportunities that have been interrupted. If this line is used again, the impact can be felt immediately on the ground.