Indonesia trials first high-speed rail in boost to Jokowi legacy


The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. — Bloomberg

JAKARTA: Indonesia is starting trial runs for its first high-speed train, which will connect the capital Jakarta to a neighbouring city of Bandung, after years of delays and cost overruns plagued the project.

The railway’s completion would further cement President Joko Widodo’s legacy as a leader who pushed through with major infrastructure projects that have languished for decades.

Next, he is aiming to pull off a US$34bil (RM158bil) new capital city called Nusantara on Kalimantan island before the end of his second and final term in 2024.

The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

It was initially billed at less than US$6bil (RM27.9bil) only for the builder to seek at least US$1.18bil (RM5.5bil) more due to ballooning costs of engineering, construction and land purchases.

The project is built and operated by Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), a joint venture between China Railway International Co Ltd and a consortium of Indonesian state companies.

It is funded mostly by China Development Bank and Indonesia’s state budget.

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The railway was initially scheduled to be completed in 2019 but has faced several delays due to the cost overruns and accidents. It is now set for a soft launch in August.

The journey on the 142-km railway will take as little as 36 minutes with the train running at a top speed of 350 km an hour.

It can carry up to 601 passengers and stop at four stations, according to KCIC’s website.

Bandung is a popular weekend getaway among tourists looking for discount shopping and cooler air. — Bloomberg

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