'Taksaka' derailed, thousands stranded
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto
Express train Taksaka was derailed in Cilacap on its way from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, causing a delay in the scheduled arrival of nine trains using the railway.
No casualties were reported in the incident.
The incident occurred at 1:55 a.m. on Tuesday when the train's third car was accidentally derailed. How the car was derailed was not clear. The company spent four hours to remove the derailed car and the railway line returned to normal at 5 a.m.
Djusman Manurung, chief of state-owned company PT KAI operation III district overseeing Central Java's southern part of the railway, said he was confused over the incident since it befell the third car, instead of the locomotive and the first car.
"We are still investigating the cause of the incident," he said in a press meeting in Cilacap on Tuesday.
He made an apology to the public for the inconvenience caused by the incident and gave his assurance that PT KAI would intensify its monitoring and supervision to avoid such incidents in the future.
Thousands of passengers in Yogyakarta and Solo, Central Java, who were going to Bandung, West Java, and Jakarta had to wait for at least four hours until the tracks were cleared.
Djusman acknowledged that the railway line between Purwokerto and Yogyakarta was quite vital because it connects Central and East Java with Bandung and Jakarta.
Supriyadi, a spokesman for the railway company, said his company has identified 17 sections of railway lines in the region that were prone to floods, landslides and erosion, especially during the rainy season.
"The rainy season is really a threat to KAI and travelers who want to celebrate the upcoming Idul Fitri holiday and Christmas in their own hometown," he said.
On Sunday, another express train KA Mutiara traveling between Surabaya and Bandung halted its trip in Cilacap for several hours because the section of the railway near the Mluwung Wanareja, Cilacapt, was inundated by a flood.
Supriyadi said the railway sections prone to floods and landslides were found between Cipari and Sidareja; between Jeruklegi and Kawunganten; between Lebeng and Jeruklegi; between Gombong and Karanganyar and between Wonosari and Kutawinangun.
"Sections of the line prone to floods are located between Slawi and Balapulang, between Mergasari and Prupuk, between Kebasen and Randegan and between Kemranjen and Sumpiuh," he said.
He added besides anticipating floods and landslides that could disturb train travel, KAI would also deploy a number of personnel and a local special police unit to monitor any possible disturbances, including robberies and other crimes, on board the trains.