KAI Jakarta closes illegal crossing on Tebet-Cawang route for safety

Jakarta (ANTARA) - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) Daerah Operasi 1 Jakarta has closed an illegal level crossing on the route between Tebet Station and Cawang Station to improve railway travel safety and the safety of surrounding residents.

“Actually, we already have a programme every year to close illegal crossings because from experience, almost every day there are collisions, not collisions exactly, but people hitting the train,” said Deputi 2 of Daop 1 Jakarta, PT KAI, Deddy Hendrady, to reporters in Jakarta on Thursday.

Deddy stated that the closure of the illegal crossing is a routine annual programme to reduce accidents on the rail tracks.

He emphasised that accidents at level crossings generally occur because road users force their way across the tracks.

“Because of this, we also need to inform the media; internally, if a motorbike is hit by a train, it’s the reverse—people hitting the train because the train can’t swerve like that,” he said.

However, Deddy stressed that PT KAI’s authority is limited to railway travel safety aspects.

“At KAI, there is no solution; the solution is just to close it for the security of the train. As for solutions for residents’ facilities, that’s the authority of others, like the Transportation Agency and local government, but we always coordinate—we will close this, please provide information on alternative facilities for this closure,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Government Section of Kebon Baru Sub-district, Tebet, Samtopri, supports the illegal crossing closure programme because it is deemed to have a high risk level.

“This was already informed to us last week. I think this programme is good. Because I see that this crossing is too close,” said Samtopri.

He mentioned that there are five crossing points usually used by pedestrians and motorbikes. “There are approximately five points; those crossings are used by pedestrians and motorbikes,” he said.

Therefore, he urged residents to support the regulation of illegal crossings for collective safety.

“So we convey to the community that this programme is for the good of us all. Once this programme is implemented, let’s support it, let’s help, especially PT KAI, in regulating the pedestrian and motorbike crossings in Kebon Baru,” he said.

KAI officially closed the illegal crossing on the Cawang-Tebet route in the area of RT 01 and RT 03, which are approximately 50 metres apart.