TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry ensured that the government's plan to build the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train project is not wishful thinking. The ministry’s director of road transportation facilities, Risal Wasal, explained that the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train (KCJB) is one of the transportation nodes to Surabaya.

"As Pak Transportation Minister (Budi Karya Sumadi) said, KCJB is one of the nodes for the fast train routes to Jakarta Bandung, Kertajati, Yogya, and Surabaya,” said Risal when contacted on Monday, October 31, 2022.

At present, Risal claimed, the project is still being discussed. “We are entering the feasibility study or FS stage.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Transportation Ministry, Adita Irawati, said separately that the project had been discussed with other ministries, including the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

“It's not just a talk, this (the Jakarta-Surabaya fast train) has been seriously discussed. The leading ministry is the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment,” she said on Monday

However, Adita stopped short of saying about the feasibility study and how much investment is needed for the jumbo project. “It is still under the discussion phase with other ministries and institutions,” she said.

Previously, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said on Friday that he believed the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train project could be realized. He recalled the MRT Jakarta project which was first doubted and then turned out to be successful.

MOH. KHORY ALFARIZI

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