Government to Involve PT KAI in Double-Double Track Construction

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that the construction of a four-track railway line (double-double track) will involve both the government and PT KAI (Persero). “Some parts will be PT KAI’s investment, while others will be part of the government programme,” Dudy said at Bekasi Timur Station on Wednesday, 29 April 2026. However, in the future, the Ministry of Transportation will hand over the management of railway infrastructure to KAI. The ministry will then act as a regulator. Dudy said the change in infrastructure management mechanisms will affect KAI’s planning, including the double-double track construction. “We will adjust it again to the latest conditions, that the infrastructure will be fully handed over to PT KAI,” he explained. PT KAI President Director Bobby Rasyidin said his company and the Ministry of Transportation are working to accelerate the plan to transfer infrastructure management. “I will report it soon,” he stated. The Indonesian Transport Society (MTI) is urging the government to expedite the construction of the four-track railway on the Manggarai-Cikarang route. This route is a vital corridor used by intercity trains and commuter rail (KRL) to and from Jakarta. Currently, the four tracks are only available from Manggarai Station to Bekasi Station. From Bekasi Station to Cikarang Station, it still relies on a double track or two lines. MTI Railway Forum Chairman Deddy Herlambang said building the four tracks is important to reduce accident risks, such as the collision incident between the Argo Bromo Anggrek train and a KRL at Bekasi Timur Station on Monday night, 27 April 2026. According to Deddy, the density of train traffic on the Jakarta-Cikarang route means long-distance and KRL operations should be separated. The difference in service patterns is the main reason for separating the tracks. “Ideally, they should be separated because the services are different. Intercity trains do not stop at every station, whereas KRL stops at all stations. If there is a disruption, it can affect other train journeys,” he said when contacted on Tuesday, 28 April 2026. He added that track separation is not only for passenger trains but ideally also includes freight trains. With this separation, the potential for bottlenecks and operational disruptions can be reduced. Nevertheless, the realisation of this project is still hindered by budget constraints. Deddy said the government has actually prepared a detailed engineering design (DED) for the construction of the tracks, but it has not been realised yet because it has not entered funding priorities. “If there is a budget, the tracks can certainly be separated so there are no bottlenecks or operational disruptions,” he said. According to him, without accelerating this infrastructure development, the risk of accidents and operational disruptions will continue to haunt the railway system on busy routes like Jakarta-Cikarang.