Double railway track to ease overcrowding<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
State railway operator PT Kereta Api (KA)'s Jakarta division
\nrevealed Sunday that it would start the development of double-
\nline linking Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta and Serpong in
\nTangerang early next year.<\/p>\n
KA said the project was part of its efforts to help ease
\novercrowded trains.<\/p>\n
\"The project has topped the priority list of the Ministry of
\nTransportation ... Hopefully, we can finalize the necessary
\npreparations this year and later proceed with the construction
\nearly next year,\" the division's head, Rachmadi, told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
Rachmadi said that the 23.9-kilometer line, which is estimated
\nto cost Rp 358 billion, or Rp 15 billion per kilometer, would be
\nwholly financed through loans from the Japan Bank for
\nInternational Cooperation (JBIC).<\/p>\n
Rachmadi said that double line would reduce passenger numbers
\non the overcrowded cars using the single track, which was served
\nby 15 trains making 75 round trips, especially during peak hours.<\/p>\n
\"Fortunately, most plots of land to be used in the project
\nbelong to PT KA. We only need to acquire some sections along the
\nroute,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Train commuters have long complained of overcrowded passenger
\ncars, with some passengers choosing to sit on the roofs, risking
\ndeath by falling or electrocution.<\/p>\n
Others observe that peak traveling times are getting longer,
\nwidening from two to three-hour periods to four hours -- between
\n6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
Most cars are also overloaded with an average of 12 people a
\nsquare meter, compared to the maximum capacity of eight.<\/p>\n
In its defence, PT KA said it only had 220 trains to cater for
\nmore than 450,000 commuters a day.<\/p>\n
Most trains, it said, were also in poor condition and used a
\nrange of different systems making them prone to accidents.<\/p>\n
Out of the 220 trains, 140 trains are from Japan, 201 are from
\nBelgium, while the remaining eight are from South Korea.<\/p>\n
Rachmadi admitted building the double line would cause more
\ntrain traffic at the railway crossings and therefore would result
\nin worsening road congestion.<\/p>\n
\"However, we could solve that problem by constructing more
\nunderpasses or overpasses at those crossings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The development of the double line will include the
\nconstruction of five new stations along the route.<\/p>\n
Railway transportation director at the transportation ministry
\nHarris Fabilah said last week that the government had prioritized
\ncompleting the development of the Greater Jakarta railway system
\nby 2007.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that the rail-based public transportation system will
\nbecome the backbone of the urban transport system in the city
\nafter 2007,\" Harris said.<\/p>\n
He said currently, train passengers accounted for 20 percent
\nof the total trips in the Greater Jakarta area.<\/p>",
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