PT KAI halts service in North Sumatra

PT KAI halts service in North Sumatra

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI) has
temporarily halted its operations in North Sumatra until Jan. 10,
2002 due to damage caused along several sections of railway by
flooding, which hit the province on Dec. 29, 2001.

John Sumbayak, spokesman for the local branch of PT KAI, said
the company was still carrying out emergency repair work on eight
railway sections between Medan and Tebing Tinggi, between Tebing
Tinggi and Kisaran and between Tebing Tinggi and Pematang
Siantar.

He said his company had encouraged its maintenance workers to
complete the repair work as soon as possible, so that the railway
service could resume on Jan. 10.

PT KAI was expected to suffer at least Rp 1.2 billion in
material losses due to the temporary halt of operations and the
millions of rupiah spent on repair work.

"PT KAI's income is on average Rp 1.2 billion per month in the
province," he said, citing passenger train seat occupancy rates
at the end of 2001, which was high because of the New Year
celebrations.

Travelers have taken public buses as an alternative means to
travel in the city because of PT KAI's temporary cessation of
operations. However, many have expressed their disappointment at
the soaring fares of public buses.

"Hundreds of prospective passengers are turned away from
railway stations every day because they have not yet learnt about
the railway company's decision to halt its service in the
province," he said.

Nurhayati, 46, said she pays twice the price for a public bus
ticket than for the regular train fare to travel to Kisaran from
Medan.

"Each time my family goes to Medan, we always use the train
because it is safer and it is far cheaper than the bus," she
said.

Meanwhile, Eddy Sofyan, spokesman for the North Sumatra
administration, said the province had proposed that the central
government allocate Rp 67.75 billion to rehabilitate all
infrastructure damaged by the recent flooding. So far, however,
it has yet to receive a positive response.

According to data at the social affairs office, more than
22,000 families in Medan, Binjai, Langkat and Labuhan Batu, who
lost their houses during the flood, are taking refuge in numerous
camps and public buildings in the towns.

"The flood victims are in need of humanitarian relief to help
them meet their daily needs," Eddy said.