We are currently studying the construction of a railway line from Balikpapan as well as in the IKN area itself
Tokyo (ANTARA) - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is currently reviewing the train line construction project at IKN Nusantara.

"We are currently studying the construction of a railway line from Balikpapan as well as in the IKN area itself," Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono stated when met in Tokyo, Friday.

Hadimuljono remarked that the conversation took place when the JICA president met him and Minister of Transportation of Indonesia Budi Karya Sumadi at a luncheon in Jakarta two weeks ago.

"The president of JICA came to Jakarta. The Minister of Transportation and I had lunch together to discuss it," Hadimuljono remarked.

However, there is still a lack of certainty that Japan will conduct a feasibility study for the project, he stated.

Head of the IKN Authority has also signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of three potential areas in Balikpapan, Samarinda, and IKN Nusantara.

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"Yesterday, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport of Japan also said he would complete a review of the development of this area," he remarked.

The government will build four railway projects in the 2025-2029 period: airport trains, urban trains within the Central Government Core Area (KIPP), urban trains within Kalimantan, and intercity.

The Balikpapan-KIPP Urban Train will be built, spanning a length of 143.33 kilometers, with a travel time of 88 minutes.

In detail, 125.73 kilometers of the network is at ground level, while 14.6 kilometers is elevated, and three kilometers is underground.

The train can accommodate as many as 4.5 million passengers by 2040.

The airport train will connect the Sepinggan International Airport with KIPP. The government has prepared two alternative routes.

First, based on the 2021 study, the line is 65.5 kilometers long, with a travel time of 29.8 minutes, which crosses four stations.

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In detail, 55.7 kilometers is on the ground, 6.8 kilometers is elevated, and three kilometers is underground.

In 2030, airport train passengers are estimated to reach 3.6 million per year.

In the second route alternative, the route is built with a length of 44.91 kilometers and crosses three stations with a shorter distance, as it follows the right of way (ROW) of the Balikpapan-KIPP toll road.

In 2030, the train is expected to carry 2.5 million passengers per year.

As this infrastructure requires large financing, the Ministry of Transportation plans to use a government and business entity cooperation (KPBU) scheme as well as concessions involving domestic and foreign parties.

The Ministry of Transportation's Directorate General of Railways proposed a 2024 budget of Rp9.8 trillion, including support for the IKN train project.

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Translator: Juwita Trisna Rahayu, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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