"We are currently studying the stations that have the potential to be revitalized and this revitalization will recover their historical values," Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said here on Saturday.
He noted that there are several stations in regions that have historical heritage and can be developed into tourist attractions considering that they are mostly still well-maintained.
One of the stations, he said, is Cirebon Station, which has been around since the colonial period and whose main building has a European architectural style.
According to him, the revitalization concept is being designed to be appropriate, while maintaining the historical heritage of the buildings.
"I am currently evaluating heritage stations in Indonesia. We know that stations in Indonesia are beautiful and full of historical features," he added.
The minister underscored that the heritage stations must be optimized, meaning that they should not only be used for train services, but also developed as tourist attractions.
He expressed the hope that once the study and evaluation are completed, the revitalization phase to beautify the historical stations will be carried out as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the vice president of state rail company PT KAI, Operational Area 3 Cirebon, Dicky Eka Priananda, welcomed the revitalization plan.
"We held a meeting earlier; by May 2024, the detailed engineering design must be completed. Further developments will await the Minister of Transportation's decision," he said.
According to information provided by PT KAI Operational Area 3 Cirebon, Cirebon Station was inaugurated on June 3, 1912, coinciding with the opening of the 137-kilometer Cikampek-Cirebon Railway Line.
The station was designed by Dutch architect Pieter Adriaan Jacobus Moojen with European elements, which were adapted to the Indonesian climate.
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Translator: Fathnur Rohman, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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