VP to discuss Jakarta-Surabaya railway project with JICA

Vice President Jusuf Kalla will meet Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) representatives and Japanese ambassador to Indonesia Masafumi Ishii to discuss the railway revitalization as part of Jakarta-Surabaya medium-speed railway line project.

"Of course to communicate (with them) about the project. We already have double track (railway) system that only requires some repair," Kalla said at the Vice President`s Office in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The issue that still remains an obstacle to start the Jakarta-Surabaya railway project is its position on the crossing of a plot so additional tracks are needed by building flyover or underpass, which has to be discussed further with JICA as the investor.

Related to such matter, the Vice President has also summoned Minister of Public Works and People`s Housing Basuki Hadimuljono and Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the plan.

"The project must be accelerated and efficient, but at the same time it must also have good quality particularly to maintain the speed so people (from Jakarta) can go to Surabaya only in 5.5 hours and vice versa," he added.

Kalla also expects the revitalization process to begin in early 2018 and the overall medium-speed railway project to begin in mid-2018.

Minister of Public Works and People`s Housing Basuki Hadimuljono in different occasion said that he has reported to the Vice President on several options of revitalization namely existing gauge, narrow gauge and standard gauge.

"The Vice President will meet with the Japanese ambassador and JICA representatives for discussion, because JICA has their own options as well that the Vice President wants to discuss," he noted

Source: ANTARA