Hundreds of Kites Snag on Whoosh High-Speed Rail Line, KCIC Warns of Severe Disruption

PT KCIC has recorded 110 findings of kites and their strings threatening the operation of the Whoosh high-speed train service between Jakarta and Bandung from January to May 2026. The majority of these incidents were found along the Padalarang-Cimahi-Bandung section of the route.

General Manager of Corporate Secretary Eva Chairunisa confirmed the figures on Thursday (11/6/2026), noting that the operator is bracing for a potential increase in disruptions during the current school holiday period. She explained that the long school break typically leads to a rise in kite-flying activities among children.

‘As we enter the school holiday season, we urge parents, the community, and schools to help supervise children’s activities. A broken kite carried by the wind can become entangled in the Whoosh overhead power lines and endanger the safety of train operations,’ Eva stated.

KCIC reminded the public not to fly kites within a minimum radius of three kilometres on either side of the Whoosh operational corridor. Kites that break loose and are carried by the wind risk becoming caught in the Overhead Catenary System (OCS), which supplies the high-voltage power needed to run the trains.

Because the OCS operates at high voltage, any kite or string that becomes entangled can damage both the overhead electrical network and the train’s pantograph, the device that collects power during the journey. The consequences extend beyond safety risks, potentially causing operational disruptions and delays that affect thousands of passengers.