Nine illegal railway level crossings in Banten to be closed

There are nine illegal level crossings that will be permanently closed this year, the Banten Provincial Government said, due to the risk they pose to nearby communities. ‘There are nine illegal level crossings this year that will be permanently closed,’ said Tri Nurtopo, head of the Banten Province Department of Transportation (Dishub), in Tangerang on Thursday.

He explained that among the nine illegal railway crossings to be closed are those at KM 58+5/6 on the Tigaraksa - Cikoya road section; KM 42+3/4 on the Parung Panjang - Cilejit section.

Other points include KM 58+3/4 on the Sukabumi - Gandasoli road, JPL 152 KM 56+202 between Tenjo - Tigaraksa, JPL 143 KM 53+285 between Daru - Tenjo, JPL 132 KM 49+178 between Cilejit - Daru.

Additionally, there are locations at JPL 187 KM 81+346 between Rangkasbitung - Jambu Baru, JPL 176 KM 438 between Citeras - Rangkasbitung, and JPL 168 KM 64+526 between Maja - Citeras.

He said that in total there are 205 railway crossings in Banten. The figure covers both at-grade crossings and those where flyovers have already been built. Of that total, six crossings have already been closed, including the one near Cisauk Station, Tangerang Regency, because a flyover has been constructed.

‘205 railway crossings in Banten are mostly being addressed by the provincial government. It remains for regencies/cities to follow suit,’ he added. He further said that the Banten provincial government has proposed building flyovers in Serpong and Jombang, South Tangerang City. Once completed, those at-grade crossings would be closed.

‘Because there are both registered and illegal crossings. The registered ones are guarded and those that are not are not. The at-grade ones are not guarded either. Actually, for the KRL, it already takes ten minutes,’ he said.