"We have asked for the regional government of Jakarta to build the underpass, at least in 24 locations," Dahlan said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Dahlan Iskan urged Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to accelerate the construction of underpasses or roads passing under railway tracks in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek).

"We have asked for the regional government of Jakarta to build the underpass, at least in 24 locations," Dahlan said here on Tuesday before participants of a seminar titled "Indonesia Railway Safety 2013."

Dahlan said the underpass project is one of several priorities of the Jakarta Special Administrative Region (Pemda DKI) and the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises to reduce severe traffic jams at railway crossings in Jabodetabek.

Traffic jams have occurred in some places due to accumulation of vehicles stopping at the crossings, he said.

Vehicles can`t pass because the road is closed when a train passes there.

"Incidents also often happen there due to impatient motorists who pass through the crossings despite the blockage," he said.

Dahlan and Jokowi have planned to separate the road from the railway track by building an underpass.

The plan is railway tracks will be kept but underpasses will be built at the crossings.

"It has been planned since a day after Jokowi was inaugurated as Jakarta governor," he said.

The minister did not tell clearly when the project will be started in view of the funds needed to build the underpasses which could cost between Rp100-Rp200 billion each.

Dahlan said he can`t force Jokowi to immediately start the underpass project due to a bureaucratic procedure he has to undertake.

He said the underpass construction is urgent due to high railway traffic.

"Traffic jams at crossings happen very frequently because trains pass every five minute. What would happen if the frequency is increased to every three minutes ? I think more severe traffic jams would occur," Dahlan said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013