No changes to completion target: High-Speed Railway and Patimban projects to carry on
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily: Tak ada perubahan target penyelesaian: Proyek KA Cepat dan Patimban terus berjalan
16 June 2020
By Thresa Sandra Desfika
Jakarta – The government makes sure that the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway project and the Patimban Port project will continue amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Infrastructure and Transportation Coordination Affairs Deputy of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment Ridwan Djamaluddin said that, until now, there was no change to the completion target of the projects.
“The high-speed railway project will be carried on. There are no projects unaffected by Covid-19, but this project must be completed. So, projects are generally carried on. Despite sluggish land acquisition, there is a ray of hope,” Ridwan said during a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Monday (15/6).
He mentioned that there were several issues for project construction besides land acquisition, such as the hindered mobility of human resources, equipment, and materials amid the Covid-19 pandemic. However, those issues are expected to be resolved with several adjustments.
“Due to Covid-19, the mobility of people is hindered. However, the overall scheme remains the same and there is no change to the plan, only minor adjustments here and there in line with the condition on the field,” Ridwan added.
Regarding Patimban Port construction, Ridwan made sure that the project would be carried on. The first package construction already reached 71% and the second package construction already reached 40%. Besides that, he mentioned that there were many corporations that were interested in becoming the operator of Patimban Port.
“Patimban Port construction is running according to plan. Land acquisition and other [aspects] are continuously carried on. Besides that, there are many [companies] that are interested in becoming its operator. Hopefully, this can provide a sense of justice and efficiency to the construction,” Ridwan said.
Some time ago, Sea Transportation Director General of the Transportation Ministry Agus Purnomo said that the government was delaying Patimban Port’s soft opening in Subang, West Java from June 2020 to September 2020. The soft opening is delayed due to the lack of land for construction in several locations so that the construction process is delayed.
“It was in June. However, there are various issues, so it is problematic. In the end, the minister asked for the project to be finished in September. The hinderances are the back-up area and the construction sites that are not ready. There are also large waves at sea, so the project construction is difficult,” Agus revealed.
Meanwhile, the SOE (State-Owned Enterprise) Ministry made sure that the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway national strategic project (PSN) would be finished in September 2022.
“The deadline of the Jakarta-Bandung [High-Speed Railway] is September 2022. It must be a target,” SOE Minister Erick Thohir said some time ago.
He said that most PSNs were carried on, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. The projects are carried on as PSNs can create and absorb a large amount of workforce. Moreover, President Joko Widodo has directed the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway to be extended to Surabaya to be more feasible.
“We must be optimistic. The state is in a condition that focuses on the availability of more work. Just now, the President approved Jakarta-Bandung [High-Speed Railway] to be extended to Surabaya to be more feasible, and this will absorb an enormous amount of workforce,” he said.
Previously, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi also revealed that, in the long term, Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway would be extended to Surabaya through the southern route, so that it could accommodate passenger transportation in southern Java. The government wants to accommodate an alternative land transportation for citizens in southern Java, including Garut, Tasikmalaya, Purwokerto, Yogyakarta, and Solo.
“If the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway project is successful, then it can be extended to Surabaya through southern route of Java, in line with the original plan,” Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said when he was observing Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway project in February.
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