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.