Regulating illegal level crossings must be a priority for safety

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Transportation expert Djoko Setjowarno emphasised that regulating illegal level crossings must be a priority due to their high risk to public safety. “In principle, illegal crossings must be closed. There is no compromise,” Djoko stated in Jakarta on Tuesday. The issue of at-grade crossings remains a safety challenge in transportation across various regions. High community activity, the growth of residential areas, and the emergence of illegal accesses around rail tracks continuously increase safety risks if not followed by consistent regulation. Based on data from PT KAI, there are 432 at-grade crossing points in the operational area of Daop 1 Jakarta, spanning from Banten to Cikampek. Of this number, 138 points fall into the category of unguarded crossings. Therefore, Djoko stressed that all these crossing points must be closed immediately to prevent further casualties. Djoko also encouraged synergy between the central government and local governments (pemda) in addressing illegal crossing issues, including budget support. He noted that budget constraints remain the main challenge in infrastructure development in regions. However, efforts to improve railway transport safety, including the presence of field guards, must not be halted due to insufficient funding. On the other hand, Chairman of DPR RI Commission V Lasarus also highlighted the abundance of at-grade crossings in Indonesia, including unofficial or illegal ones, numbering in the thousands and scattered across various regions. The existence of these crossings is considered a serious threat to the safety of train journeys and road users. “Unguarded at-grade crossings, even illegal ones, are very numerous and pose accident potential if not addressed immediately,” Lasarus said. Therefore, Lasarus urged the government to immediately conduct a comprehensive evaluation of national railway operations, including accelerating the regulation and elimination of high-risk at-grade crossings. He deemed this step important to prevent similar accidents from recurring in the future. In addition, he emphasised the need for cross-sector coordination between ministries, railway operators, and law enforcement agencies to ensure public transport safety. “Enough with this incident and those in the past that have claimed many lives. Do not let similar events recur,” Lasarus stated.