Japan to Commence Feasibility Study for Medium-Speed Train Project

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said that he had met the Japanese Transportation Minister Keiichi Ishii and discussed Japan’s investment in the Jakarta-Surabaya medium-speed train project.

According to Budi, after meeting Mr. Keiichi in Jakarta on Thursday, December 2016, the Japanese government had volunteered to initiate the megaproject’s feasibility study.

"We are thankful to Japan because this is meaningful for us," Budi said in a press release.

The Jakarta-Surabaya medium-speed train is expected to travel as fast as 160 kilometers per hour. The train's maximum speed is currently at 100 kilometers per hour.

"Japan asked the government to elaborate the project’s technicality in details," Budi explained.

Last weekend, Budi said that the Jakarta-Surabaya train will be upgraded in stages, since the project needs a huge investment of Rp 102 trillion (US$7.8 billion), based on Japan’s calculation. Meanwhile, the government estimated that the amount of money needed to realize the project was Rp 80 trillion (US$6.1 billion).The government and state railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia had completed the project's preliminary study. Budi revealed that the project would be financed under the public-private partnership scheme.

In early 2017, the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) is expected to decide which routes to be developed first; either the Jakarta-Semarang route or the Semarang-Surabaya one.

Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that the public-private partnership scheme to finance the project was proposed by the National Development and Planning Agency head Bambang Brodjonegoro. Japan has approved the proposal, and the majority of the fund will come from a loan disbursed by Japan.

ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI | GHOIDA RAHMAH | KHAIRUL ANAM