Legislator: Prioritise DDT Construction Following Accident in Bekasi

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of DPR RI Commission V Rofik Hananto has called for the acceleration of double-double track (DDT) construction to be prioritised following the train accident involving a long-distance train and an electric rail train (KRL) at Bekasi Timur Station in West Java. According to him, accelerating the development of physical railway infrastructure in agglomeration areas is essential as a long-term solution to address the heavy burden on rail lines, such as the Jakarta-Cikarang route. “With the double track, train frequency and movement can be more orderly, reducing congestion and minimising the potential for conflicts at level crossings. This project must be prioritised,” said Rofik in a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday. Considering that the incident is suspected to have started from a KRL train being obstructed by an online taxi on the railway tracks, he stated that stricter enforcement of rules for drivers crossing level crossings must be implemented. Enforcement in the form of fines, increased supervision, and continuous education is deemed necessary to be strengthened. In addition, if negligence is found from guards or station staff, standard operating procedures must be enforced without compromise, accompanied by periodic evaluations. He reminded that due to the high operational speed, train braking distances can reach hundreds to thousands of metres, so trains cannot be stopped suddenly like ordinary vehicles. Therefore, he requested that the incident be used as a serious evaluation material for PT KAI, particularly regarding updates to emergency signal systems, inter-driver communication speed, and stopping protocols on busy lines. “So that similar tragedies do not recur,” he said. The accident between the Argo Bromo Anggrek train and the KRL or commuter line at Bekasi Timur Station occurred on Monday night (27/04). The Ministry of Transportation revealed the initial chronology of the accident is suspected to have begun when the KRL on the Bekasi-Cikarang route was obstructed by a vehicle at level crossing JPL 85, thus triggering the incident. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi, in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday (28/4), explained that as a result of the incident, the KRL trainset had to be evacuated and designated as an extraordinary journey (PLB) with code 5181 because it stopped and operated outside the regular schedule. As a consequence, officers stopped another KRL trainset with code PLB 5568 heading to Cikarang at Bekasi Timur Station. However, the Argo Bromo Anggrek train on the Jakarta-Surabaya route did not manage to stop completely and thus collided with the stationary KRL.