BUMN Regulatory Agency: Railway Safety Improvements Become Focus Following Bekasi Incident
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Head of the State-Owned Enterprises Regulatory Agency (BP BUMN) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Danantara, Dony Oskaria, stated that improving railway safety has become a focus and is included in this year’s work programme, following the train accident at Bekasi Timur Station, West Java, on Monday (27/4) night.
“Actually, it is already in our work programme this year, as directed by the President regarding approximately 1,800 railway crossings that have indeed needed repair, and they must have gates,” Dony said when met by reporters at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs office in Jakarta on Tuesday.
With this accident, he stated that the government is strengthening efforts to enhance the safety of mass transportation comprehensively, including evaluating the existing systems.
“Moreover, with this incident, we are conducting a total evaluation of the security of our mass transportation,” Dony said.
He also assured that all aspects will be evaluated, including from the management side, by examining the causes and impacts of the incident, while awaiting the official investigation results from the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT).
“Last night I also went there (to Bekasi Timur Station), we share our condolences and concern for the accident that occurred,” Dony said.
Meanwhile, Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani also expressed concern over the train accident.
He emphasised that a comprehensive evaluation will be conducted, particularly on the existing safety systems.
According to him, safety is a primary aspect in operations, alongside improving comfort, and it is something that is continuously evaluated.
“We are conducting a comprehensive evaluation, especially on the safety of all existing systems, and indeed we always evaluate comprehensively,” Rosan said.
On Monday (27/4) night, an accident occurred between the Long-Distance Train (KAJJ) Argo Bromo Anggrek and the Commuter Line Electric Rail Train (KRL) at Bekasi Timur Station.
Based on data from PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) until 08:45 WIB, this electric train and train accident in the Bekasi Timur Station area resulted in 14 people dead and 84 injured.
President Prabowo Subianto expressed condolences to the victims of the accident after visiting the victims who are currently being treated at Bekasi City Hospital, Bekasi City, West Java, on Tuesday morning. The President also emphasised that the government will immediately conduct an investigation.
On that occasion, the President revealed a budget of around Rp4 trillion prepared to repair 1,800 railway crossing points on Java Island to improve public transportation safety.
The President explained that the thousands of crossing points are inherited infrastructure from the Dutch era that has not received comprehensive handling for decades.
According to Prabowo, this step is taken because the government realises that many railway crossings to date do not have guards, making them prone to accidents.
Prabowo instructed his apparatus to immediately resolve the issue with two handling schemes, namely building guard posts or constructing flyover bridges.