Trial Run of Jakarta-Bandung Railway Project to Take Place End of 2022, Jokowi Says

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - President Joko Widodo has announced that the development of Indonesia’s first high-speed railway project to connect the country's capital Jakarta and Bandung in West Java is 73 percent complete after months of delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The President, popularly known as Jokowi, said that the preparations for the operation of the project will begin next year. Meanwhile, the trial run is targeted to take place at the end of 2022.

"I hope that by the end of 2022 the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway can be tested. After the trial it will be followed by the operational stage," said Jokowi during a site visit to the high-speed railway project on Tuesday, May 18.

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Jokowi expressed hopes that the train can be integrated with the light rapid transit (LRT) and mass rapid transit (MRT) lines in Jakarta. Thus, it will cut the travel time between places and  increase Indonesia's competitiveness globally. 

"We hope the project will improve our country's competitiveness," said Jokowi.

Jokowi also hopes to see technology transfer in the construction project for future plans.  

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"We hope that in the future when it is decided that the project will be extended to Surabaya [East Java], our human resources will be ready because they have experience [in the construction of high-speed railway project)," he said.

On the same occasion, Project Management Director of PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) Allan Tandiono explained that the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail will have 13 tunnels. As of this week, the work on eight tunnels has been completed.

"And the target is that all the tunnels will be completed by the end of the year. So, the operation can be done at the end of next year," he said.

(Writer: Fitria Chusna Farisa | Editor: Kristian Erdianto)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/05/18/12385071/jokowi-targetkan-kereta-cepat-jakarta-bandung-diuji-coba-akhir-2022.