Govt: Discussion on KRL Suspension on April 18 Is Still Afoot
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Editor
16 April 2020 13:26 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Transportation Ministry asserted that there has been no decision yet regarding the operation of the commuter line or KRL on April 18, 2020, during the enforcement of the large-scale social restrictions or PSBB in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, and Bekasi.
The ministry’s spokesperson Adita Irawati admitted that her side had received an official letter on the request of the train suspension from Bogor regency administration and verbal requests from other regional governments.
However, Adita clarified that both central and regional governments needed to first manage problems likely caused by the implementation of work from home orders in the upstream. Besides, the government must come up with solutions for informal workers who make a living in the capital.
“Those issues have not been resolved to date, transportation modes especially KRL will always be available for those people in need,” Adita told Tempo on Thursday, April 16.
She explained that if the train is suspended in order to limit the spread of the new coronavirus or COVID-19, it possibly sparks new problems, including for other transport modes.
Based on the Health Ministerial Regulation No. 9/2020 and Transportation Ministerial Regulation No. 18/2020, the management of transportation was emphasized on the limitation of its operation. For commuter lines, the government decided to limit the number of passengers, the train trips, and its operating hours.
The policy complied with the health protocols in a bid to maintain the physical distancing order. “Instead of fully stopping or banning the operation [of the mass transports],” Adita underlined.
FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA | ADI WARSONO