Who is Responsible for Railway Crossing Gates?

An accident between the Argo Bromo Anggrek train and a commuter train at Bekasi Timur Station in Bekasi City on Monday (27/4/2026) is said to be linked to a previous incident involving a commuter train and a taxi at the Tambun crossing in Bekasi. Nevertheless, as of now, there has been no official statement explaining the chronology or exact causes of each event. This incident once again raises the recurring question that arises whenever similar accidents occur: who is responsible for the railway crossing gates? “We will evaluate it later, but clearly, the single-level crossing gates are not KAI’s obligation. Many people don’t know this,” said Said at dr. Chasbullah Abdulmadjid Hospital in Bekasi on Tuesday (28/4/2026). According to him, that authority lies with local governments or regional policymakers, in coordination across ministries. “KAI’s obligation is just to run the trains and collect tickets,” he said. He also revealed that building crossing gates requires substantial funding, potentially reaching around Rp 3 billion per point, which often hinders implementation in the regions. The regulations stipulate that level crossings should fundamentally be minimised. However, if they still exist, the management responsibility follows the status of the road: Accordingly, the provision of safety facilities such as crossing gates, signs, and guarding falls to the party with authority over that road, not the train operator. KAI does not have full authority over highways that intersect with rail tracks. However, KAI continues to coordinate with local governments, including pushing for the closure of unauthorised illegal crossings.