It is hoped that Indonesian President Joko Widodo and President of China, Xi Jinping, will attend the trial.Jakarta (ANTARA) - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi witnessed the inaugural installation of railway tracks for the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Train (KCJB) at Tegalluar Depot, West Java Province, on Wednesday.
“The transportation technology used in the project has been applied for the first time in the Southeast Asian area. Thus, I laud and am proud of the installation of the high technology rails,” he remarked.
The project is a national strategic project and a symbol of friendship between Indonesia and China, he said.
The utilization of the technology has become new knowledge for Indonesia since it can make rail installation faster.
“The knowledge transfer process has been implemented. If God wills, in the future, the technology can also become our expertise," the minister said.
The KCJB project is targeted to be tested at the end of 2022, he informed.
"It is hoped that Indonesian President Joko Widodo and President of China Xi Jinping will attend the trial," he added.
Sumadi emphasized that the developer must complete the project according to the target, while still prioritizing the quality and safety of the work.
"We also thank the West Java provincial government, ministries/institutions, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and other related stakeholders who have supported the project," he said.
On the same occasion, Director of the Indonesian and Chinese consortium, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) Dwiyana Slamet Riyadi has said that the KCJB project has reached 82-percent completion and is targeted to be made operational in 2023.
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"Currently, the train operators are undergoing training to run the high-speed train," he informed.
The route of the train stretches 142.3 kilometers from Halim Station, Jakarta, to the Tegalluar Depot, West Java Province.
The establishment of the high-speed train is expected to facilitate people’s mobility, especially from Jakarta to Bandung, and improve local economic growth.
Wednesday’s event was also attended by the Indonesian Ambassador to China, Djauhari Oratmangun, and the director general of railways at the Transportation Ministry, Zulfikri.
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Translator: Adimas Fahky, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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