Jokowi, Xi Jinping Scheduled to Witness Trial Run of Jakarta-Bandung Railway Project Next Year

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia has set a target to conduct a trial run of the country’s first high-speed railway project in November 2022 and commence operations in 2023, Kontan.co.id reported on Saturday, June 5.

Built by railway developer PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), the $6.07 billion railway project - which will connect the capital Jakarta and Bandung in West Java - is about 74 percent complete.

Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo is expected to invite his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during the trial run as Indonesia will assume the G-20 presidency in 2022, a year earlier than arranged.

“Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and China’s President Xi Jinping are scheduled to witness the trial run of the high-speed railway in November 2022," said KCIC general manager corporate secretary Mirza Soraya in Jakarta on Thursday, June 3.

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

Established in October 2015, KCIC is a joint venture between a consortium of the Indonesian state firms under PT Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia (PSBI) and a consortium of Chinese railway companies under Beijing Yawan HSR Co.Ltd, through a business-to-business scheme.

The 142.3 km railway project will serve four main stations namely Halim in Jakarta; Karawang in West Java; Walini, and Tegaluar in Bandung, with a travel time of 36 to 44 minutes. The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway will provide a total capacity of 601 passengers, including a room for the disabled.

Previously, it was reported that Jokowi, the President is popularly known, expressed hopes that the high-speed railway 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, adding that technology transfer in the construction project could also be done for future plans.

(Editor: Bambang P. Jatmiko)

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2021/06/05/054500326/november-2022-jokowi-akan-ajak-xi-jinping-jajal-kereta-cepat-jakarta-bandung.