KAI Palembang Has Closed 20 Illegal Crossings

KAI Divre III Palembang officer is repairing the railway line. (ANTARA/HO/KAI Divre III Palembang)

PALEMBANG - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) Regional Division III Palembang has closed as many as 20 wild fields in the company's operational area in 2024.

Public Relations Manager of PT KAI Divre III Palembang Aida Suryanti said, throughout 2024, KAI Divre III Palembang had closed illegal crossings at 20 locations by collaborating with KAI stakeholders and previously socializing with local authorities and communities.

"The closure is carried out for mutual safety, namely protecting rail travel and the community of road users. This is in accordance with Law Number 23 of 2007 concerning Railways," he said in Palembang, as reported by Antara, Monday, January 10.

The closure of illegal, unguarded, or unqualified, and those with a width of less than two meters, is carried out based on the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation Number 94 of 2018 which requires the closure or normalization of the railway line to maintain safety.

"In addition to closing illegal crossings, KAI has also carried out safety socialization by involving the Transportation Service, the South Sumatra Railway Engineering Center, the Police, Jasa Raharja and the Railfans Community as well as by posting appeal banners to always be orderly and disciplined when passing through level crossings," he explained.

He said the closure of illegal crossings was carried out considering that traffic accidents often occur at level crossings. Therefore, KAI urges the public not to reopen illegal crossings that have been closed.

"KAI deeply regrets that there are parties trying to reopen illegal crossings that have been closed, because it can potentially cause the safety of train travel that carries hundreds, even thousands of passengers or freight trains carrying community needs such as coal for energy supply, fuel, and Pulp, which can threaten the safety of road users themselves," he said.

Aida reminded road users who will pass a level crossing to always be careful and vigilant, considering that in the 2025 Railway Travel Graphics (Gapeka) in the Palembang III Divre area there are additional freight train travel and increased rail speed peaks in several routes.

"The main tool for safety at level crossings is traffic signs. The existence of doorstops and crossing gate guards is just a safety aid. So the main solution to avoid traffic accidents at level crossings is always to be alert and disciplined in traffic," he said.