"Earlier, we asked advice from the president, and he ordered us to conduct a trial run. If it is successful, we can start operating the LRT," Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi stated after attending a meeting at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Thursday.
However, the minister was unable to disclose the exact date for the LRT operation to the public. He only noted that the possible operating date for LRT is on August 20 or August 30, 2023.
Sumadi stated his side had involved 10 people from Siemens, a technology company from Germany, in a series of LRT trials prior to the commercial operation.
"Hence, (the commercial operation) it could be on August 20 or August 30," he remarked.
Sumadi elaborated that the government chose the LRT trial in a conservative way to ensure the safety and security aspects of passengers. Three tests are conducted by the Ministry of Transportation on LRT, including the maximum loading method and trips every three minutes.
"First, we have to run tests for the 31 train sets. Second, we have to put maximum loading during the test, and third, the train must be able to run with loads in every three minutes' headway," he revealed.
He noted that the LRT trials on Thursday showed several improvements, including train speed while crossing long-span lines that bend.
Sumadi also said that during the trial run with President Jokowi this Thursday, the train's speed was faster than the earlier test when it crossed the long-span lines.
"The speed is faster than before. Within two tests in one week, the second test is the faster one," he stated without specifically mentioning the LRT speed while crossing the long-span lines during this Thursday's trial.
As a theoretical illustration, the minister remarked that the LRT speed while crossing long-span lines can reach up to 40 kilometers per hour. Meanwhile, the LRT travel time from the origin station, Harjamukti Station in Cibubur, to Dukuh Atas Station in Jakarta, is 43 minutes.
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Translator: Indra Arief P, Resinta S
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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