"We are optimistic to start the operations by Nov. We would pursue the operations soon, despite stating it to happen by end of operational year, because the people are looking forward to it," Edi Sukmoro said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Trains, which connects the capital with Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, are targeted to be operational by Nov 2017.

"We are optimistic to start the operations by Nov. We would pursue the operations soon, despite stating it to happen by end of operational year, because the people are looking forward to it," General Director of Indonesian Train Corporation (KAI) Edi Sukmoro stated during one of the trains overseeing agenda in Balai Yasa Manggarai in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Edi stated that they had just received one new train set with six wagons from the Train Industry (Inka) and would receive another 10 sets by Sept.

Regarding the track readiness, he noted that there would be an evaluation again because the Duri-Batu Cepet route, which used to be quiet, had been used by electric train (KRL), thereby causing the route to be crowded. Hence, it needs a new management system.

He stated that KRLs passengers have already reached one million people a day, increasing from 900 thousand people earlier.

"There is a setting that we would take into consideration; but if the airport train comes in, there would be another calculation. Therefore, there would be a solution for Tangerang train (the one that uses the route), which is crowded," he said.

One of them is by increasing the train wagons from eight to 12 so that it would be able to carry more passenger as well as create new platform settings.

Edi stated that the area to be used has already been bought, and they just need to continue the railway development and the amenities.

"The procedures for buying the land has already been done as it is the most difficult one. Preparations for the railway track could be done in a short time," he said.

Regarding the tariff, he said that it would be around Rp80 thousand to Rp100 thousand, but the calculations have been done again, because there was still an additional payment for buying the land.

"According to the plan, the track is straight, but for the implementation, we need to shift it a bit. It is already on the peoples property, and we do not want to just buy a piece of land, but need the entire land," he remarked.

He reiterated that his part would manage to reduce the tariff to be less than Rp100 thousand.

"We would try to reduce it, because this train is our service to the people," he added.

In one wagon, Airport Train could carry 274 passengers in one way or 33 thousand passengers in 124 trips of 10 train sets each day.

The route is Manggarai-Sudirman Baru-Duri-Batu Ceper-Soekarno Hatta Airport, which could be covered in just 54 minutes of trip time.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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