AntaraPariaman (ANTARA) - Director General of Railways at the Ministry of Transportation Zulfikri revealed that 232 kilometers of the total 304 kilometers of railway lines in West Sumatra had yet to be operated.
"At present, only 72 kilometers of railway lines are operational in West Sumatra," he remarked after the inauguration of the Pariaman-Naras railway line by the Minister of Transportation in Pariaman on Friday.
He noted that since the past several years, he had prepared a program to activate 213 railway lines in West Sumatra, which currently has 27 kilometers.
The first railway line to be activated was from Lubuk Alung to 2x11 Kayu Tanam while the second was the Pariaman line to Naras.
He said that apart from activating the Kota Pariaman and Padang Pariaman District railroad lines this year, he had also activated the Kota Padang railway line to Air Island, with a three-kilometer track length.
"Hence, we seek the support of all parties, so that they can be completed and operated on time," he noted.
During the inauguration of the railway line to Naras, he also integrated a schedule of three cross-train services: Sibinuang Railway, Anai Valley Railway, and Minangkabau Express Train.
"The Anai Valley train, which earlier only arrived at the Lubuk Alung Station, has now reached Duku, and Sibinuang, which earlier only stopped at Pariaman, now arrives at Naras," he noted.
Zulfikri also expects subsidies, so that the tariff for the Anai Valley Railway stayed at Rp3,000, while that for Sibinuang is the same as before, at Rp. 5,000, and Rp10,000 for the Minangkabau Express Train.
Zulfikri acknowledged that his party had continued to face technical problems, in the form of jagged tracks, to reactivate the Kayu Tanam railway line to Bukittinggi.
"We are still looking for a solution," he said.
He said if the problem with the jagged tracks was solved, the railway line from Kayu Tanam with Bukittinggi could be operated again.
Meanwhile, West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno noted that the construction of the station and activation of the railway line could boost the economic sector.
"Because I say thank you," he noted.
He said the activation of the railway line in West Sumatra had been long overdue but was only realized starting from the Minangkabau Express Train to other trains.
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Eliswan Azly
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
