Comal bridge damaged, railway transport diverted south

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): All trains traveling between Jakarta and Surabaya via the island's northern coast are being diverted to the southern line for at least two days due to a damaged railway bridge in Comal, Pemalang regency.

The damage occurred in the middle of the 100-meter bridge, which slumped nearly 1.5 meters early on Wednesday morning.

The damage resulted in massive delays for trains scheduled to use the track, which is a major route connecting some of the island's largest cities, such as Semarang and Surabaya.

Railway officials began repair work immediately, however mild disruptions to the regular schedules are expected to persist for another two days.

Trains traveling from Jakarta to Surabaya will be diverted to the Cirebon-Prupuk-Purwokerto-Pasar Turi route, while trains from Surabaya to Jakarta will travel via the Semarang-Kedung Jati-Solo lines.

Spokesman for the Semarang office of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api (KAI), Suprapto, said the damage in Comal was caused by erosion on the western side of the railway bridge.

"We are continuing repairs to the bridge," Suprapto said. "Hopefully they can be completed soon."

"This was purely a result of natural influences, not a technical error by PT KAI," he told The Jakarta Post.(04/45)