Indonesia is thinking and planning a lot about safety ahead of the planned commercial launch of its China-funded US$7.3 billion (S$9.9 billion) high-speed railway, its transport minister revealed on Friday, meeting with the problems about an activity already years behind schedule. A flagship activity of President Joko Widodo and part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the 142km railway adjacent to Jakarta to the city of Bandung was originally set to be fulfilled by 2019. But it has been beset by predicaments, involving delays because of land procurement problems, the Covid-19 pandemic and a US$1.2 billion cost overrun.
The collaborative pool of Indonesian and Chinese state companies creating the railway, KCIC, earlier this week delayed an organized free of cost trial run by about fifteen days to Sept 1 to make sure security. It goes on to have a goal for a commercial launch on Oct 1, but Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi conveyed Reuters in an interview that these dates are just tentative for the timings. “The President taught me to take it slow. He understands that the foremost requirement is security… This is the first (high-speed train) in Indonesia and Asean, and it has a modern developed technology, so we need to be more cautious,” Mr Budi said.