The Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, I Gusti A Wesaka Puja, accompanied Inspector General of the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, Wahyu Satrio Utomo, and the Special Staff of the Indonesian Minister of Transportation, Wihana Kirana, to attend the celebration of 150th anniversary of Dutch railroad system in Indonesia at Spoorwegmuseum Utrecht in the Netherlands.
"On Aug 10, 1867, for the first time, the passenger train operated to connect Semarang city and Tanggung station in Central Java province," Puja stated in a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague received here on Tuesday.
The celebration event included the Indonesian Railway Infrastructure Business Forum. At the forum, the Indonesian delegation delivered various government programs in the field of railway development and investment opportunities, as well as cooperation with partner countries, including the Netherlands.
"The 150th Anniversary of Indonesian Railways is a very appropriate moment to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands, including the improvement of knowledge sharing cooperation and investment, especially in the field of transportation infrastructure," Puja stated.
In line with the Indonesian ambassador, Utomo also emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation for the development of railway infrastructure between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
"Through meetings with other railway entrepreneurs and stakeholders, we also want to explore opportunities for investment schemes that support the railway infrastructure development program, as well as draw experiences and lessons from Dutch experts," Utomo noted.
The Railway Infrastructure Business Forum would be followed by a discussion to realize the opportunities for cooperation in the field of railway transport and concrete implementation.
Some of the leading companies that attended the meeting included Netherlands Spoorweg, Pro Rail, Structon, and some Dutch railway experts.
The Indonesian Delegation conveyed several government priority projects, including the construction of railways in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi, during the forum.
Development plans of Light Rail Transit in Bandung and tram in Surabaya were also discussed during the meeting.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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