We have decided on the national railways' vision (that targets) 10,524 km (of railway network nationwide), including 3,755 km of urban railway networks by 2030Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Transportation Ministry's Directorate General of Railways is targeting to extend the national railway network to 10,524 kilometers (km) by 2030, an official has said.
"We have decided on the national railways' vision (that targets) 10,524 km (of railway network nationwide), including 3,755 km of urban railway networks by 2030," director general Zulfikri said during a hearing meeting with Commission V of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) at the Parliament Complex here on Wednesday.
The current length of the railway network, which is 7,032 km, is expected to increase to 7,451 km by 2024 as more railway projects get completed, he informed.
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The target has been integrated into the Transportation Minister’s Regulation No. 296 of 2020, which enumerates efforts to develop the national railways based on the National Railways Masterplan (RIPNAS), the director general said.
The projects undertaken to meet the master plan target include the development of the railway network in Sumatra and Sulawesi islands, double-track railways, electrification of main lines, and high-speed railway in Java region, he added.
The master plan is also targeting the operation of 2,839 locomotives and 34,178 trains for passenger services, as well as 2,475 locomotives and 48,364 trains for freight railways, Zulfikri said.
A budget of at least Rp835 trillion is needed to achieve the master plan target, he informed, adding that 32 percent of the budget would be sourced from the state budget while the remaining 68 percent would be sourced through alternative funding schemes.
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"We will make our effort to realize national railways that are competitive, integrated, and responsive to changes. Another target is to make railway services the backbone of intercity, urban, and freight mass transportation," Zulfikri said.
The main projects that the directorate general will pursue until 2024 include the development of the Makassar-Parepare railway system, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, and the first stage of improvement of the Jakarta-Surabaya railway system on the Jakarta-Semarang railway section, he added.
The directorate general will also seek to improve mass transportation in the six urban cities of Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Semarang, and Makassar, the director general said.
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Translator: Adimas Raditya FP, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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