Serpong-Jakarta railway study

TANGERANG (JP): The developer of the new satellite city, Bumi Serpong Damai, is studying the possibility of reopening the defunct Jakarta-Serpong railway route in cooperation with the state-owned railway company Perumka.

Johannes Tulung, the developer's public relations manager, was quoted by the Republika daily as saying that the reopening of the railway route will provide alternative cheap mass transportation.

"The reopening of the railway route is intended to give transportation services to commuters working in Jakarta," he said, adding that if Perumka agrees with the plan, the route will be served by executive class trains.

He said that representatives of both Bumi Serpong Damai and Perumka had held a number of serious talks.

Perumka used to operate trains plying between Jakarta and Serpong stations. The service was stopped after a collision of two trains last April, which killed a large number of passengers. (hhr)