DPR Urges Government to Prioritise Safety at Level Crossings
Parliamentary member Erna Sari Dewi of the DPR has stressed that the government’s and parliament’s primary focus is not to apportion blame for railway accidents but to ensure such incidents do not recur. She said Indonesia’s railway accidents remain alarming and are, in fact, tending to rise, with an average of around 24 casualties per day.
‘The main concern is the vulnerable points at level crossings. In developed countries, level crossings are almost non-existent because they are extremely risky,’ Dewi said in a written statement received in Jakarta on Saturday, 23 May.
She praised the government’s and PT Kereta Api Indonesia’s swift steps to close more than 70 level crossings deemed dangerous and with high traffic volumes.
Dewi argued that the most urgent short-term solution is to repair the safety system comprehensively and in an integrated manner. She said the system should cover improvements to signage, early-warning systems, and crossing gate supervision.
She cited ongoing problems with helper signs that confuse road users and the suboptimal performance of the early-warning system when there is potential for rail line accidents.
‘There is still about three minutes that train drivers could actually use to brake. Therefore, the early-warning system is crucial,’ she said.
Additionally, Dewi emphasised the importance of having crossing guards at the gates to minimise accident risk.
In the long term, Dewi advocated for the construction of flyovers and underpasses to progressively eliminate level crossings. However, she acknowledged that building such infrastructure requires large budgets and extended timelines, largely due to land-acquisition issues.
‘If the system is not improved, then infrastructure repairs alone will not solve the problem,’ the NasDem party politician insisted. (Z-2)
Deputy Minister of Public Works and Housing Diana Kusumastuti said about Rp30 trillion is needed to tackle 136 level crossings on national roads for transport safety.
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) — Daerah Operasi 4 Semarang, Central Java — closed an unguarded level crossing at JPL 46 Km 34 +1 road segment Gubug – Karangjati.
KAI Daop 7 held outreach campaigns through posters and banners to raise awareness of road-rail safety at level crossings.
The presence of informal or unsafe crossings poses a high risk of accidents and disruption to rail services.
Public Relations Manager Daop 6 Yogyakarta Feni Novida Saragih said they are actively intensifying safety socialisation to the public, particularly at level crossings.
A PKS politician said accelerating physical railway infrastructure construction in the agglomeration area is important.
As of Tuesday 28 April, fatalities stood at 14, with dozens more still receiving treatment at various health facilities.
Sofwan Dedy Ardyanto, member of Commission V of the DPR, urged the evacuation of the monitoring system relating to the Bekasi Timur KRL accident involving the Argo Bromo Anggrek on Monday 27 April.
Lasarus, the Chair of Commission V, issued a firm clarification regarding information circulating on social media about Alfamart and Indomaret stores closures.
Former Minister of Transport Budi Karya Sumadi dodged KPK summons in connection with an investigation into alleged corruption in the development and maintenance of railway lines, which also implicated Sudewo.