Jakarta, Nov 28 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is committed to developing railway projects in provinces across the country, particularly outside Java Island, in an effort to increase connectivity and reduce transportation costs.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) Wednesday, November 25, inspected the construction of the first phase of the 2000-kilometer (km) Makassar-Manado Trans-Sulawesi Railway Project, which is being built at a cost of Rp40 trillion and is expected to commence operations in 2018.
"The railway service is expected to commence operations in 2018 and will connect the two capitals," the President told newsmen after the inspection of the first phase.
The first phase of the Trans-Sulawesi section stretches 145 km from Makassar, the South Sulawesi provincial capital, to Parepare Municipality, and is expected to begin operations by the end of 2016.
The government was committed to providing infrastructure in the regions across the country, the President emphasized.
"It is not only here but also in other places. In Papua, we are still conducting a study, which is expected to be completed in the next quarter, so that the construction may possibly start next year," he noted in Barru, a district town of South Sulawesi which is blessed by the project.
Once the infrastructure was improved, the cost of transportation, logistics, and distribution would drop, and so, the prices of goods were expected to become cheaper, he hoped.
"If railway services and sea transportation facilities are available, we can ensure that the cost of transportation and distribution will be lower, and the logistics costs will be cheaper, which will help to lower the prices of goods," he added.
The budget needed to build the Trans-Sulawesi Railway project from Makassar to Manado (North Sulawesi provincial capital) is about Rp40 trillion, Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan said.
"The construction is estimated at Rp20 billion per km. With a length of 2,000 km, the Makassar-Manado project will cost about Rp40 trillion," Ignasius said on the sidelines of a forum on the Indonesian Eastern Region Festival Wednesday (November 25) in Makassar.
The construction of the Makassar - Manado railway project is part of the Trans-Sulawesi Railway which is later expected to connect all provinces in Sulawesi Island, he said.
Therefore, he hoped that the construction of the project which was inaugurated in Barru District, South Sulawesi, would proceed smoothly. "This year, some 16 km of the Makassar - Parepare section has been built," the minister said.
All parties must thereby be grateful as the construction of the railway line between Makassar and Parepare, and later Manado, had started to become a reality, President Jokowi affirmed.
"Indeed, it has reached only six km so far, but we hope that the railway line to Parepare, which is around 145 km in length, will be realized by next year," he stated.
The project had progressed according to plan and will ensure connectivity with the new port of Makassar and the airport, President Widodo noted.
The project had absorbed several local workers in accordance with the directive issued to the Directorate General of Railways, he claimed.
"Later, when it becomes operational, the local people will be employed in it as PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), which will run the service, has been instructed to train the local people to work on the project. The local people will be selected for the posts of managers and workers," he remarked.
The Trans-Sulawesi railway is not a fast train service, but with its 200 km per hour speed, it was already faster than a car, President Widodo said.
The House of Representatives (DPR) hailed the construction of the first phase of the Trans-Sulawesi Railway project. Chairman of the Commission V on transportation and public works of the DPR, Fary Djemy Francis said his commission has the political commitment to supporting the budget for the project.
"Commission V of the House will support it. I hope it will proceed smoothly and will not face land clearance problems. Commission V has the political commitment to ensure the completion of the mega-project," Fary said when answering reporters¿ question over the project in Barru District, Wednesday.
Based on the information he obtained from the Transportation Ministry, the construction of the Trans-Sulawesi Railway is expected to be completed by 2018. It could even be expedited by 2017, he said.
"If the process is smooth, it could be completed in 2017," he added.
Earlier, data at the Ministry of Transportation showed that Rp4.9 trillion was to be earmarked to build the Makassar-Parepare section. This excluded the Rp971 billion which has been prepared in 2015. These funds also excluded the cost for locomotives and railway station development.
Almost 100 percent of the materials used in the project are locally produced, such as sleepers from state-owned construction company WIKA and keys from state firm Pindad.
While the rails are still imported from Japan almost 100 percent of the materials used in it are sourced domestically.
The engines and coaches are produced by the state train industry firm PT INKA, according to President Jokowi.***3***(A014/INE)(T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 28-11-2015 14:04:3 |
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