The operator of the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed train, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), reveals that the Whoosh high-speed railway line to Surabaya will be held in stages, with the first phase of extension will be to Yogyakarta.
KCIC President Director Dwiyana Slamet Riyadi said gradual extension of the railway line is done upon consideration that direct extension Surabaya it will likely require greater costs and longer construction time.
“On several occasions, Mr President (Joko Widodo), Mr Luhut (Maritime Affairs and Investment Coordinating Minister Luhut Pandjaitan), Minister of State-owned Enterprises, and Minister of Transportation, all said that there is a plan to extend to Surabaya. Maybe the stage is to Jogja first,” Dwiyana said as quoted by Kompas.com, on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
He ensured that the planning for the construction of the fast train line to Surabaya would be better than the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train because KCIC already had the experience in building the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train.
“We have had a lot of experience from Jakarta-Bandung, so it should be okay to later extend to Jogja and Surabaya,” he said.
Line trajectory still being discussedÂ
Dwiyana said the plan to extend the Whoosh high-speed train to Surabaya is being discussed that it is not certain as yet which areas the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train trajectory will pass through.
Since the plan is still in its early stages, the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed railway route may also not be open to the public to avoid land speculators.
“We are currently working on the planning. If the route is announced, all land speculators will play,” he said.
Earlier, KCIC GM Corporate Secretary Eva Chairunisa said the discussion of the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed railway route is still being held with relevant stakeholders.
“We are in the stage of discussing the scope with related ministries, including those related to the routes that will be travelled,” Eva told Kompas.com on Wednesday.
Previously, KCIC had announced an open tender for the procurement of consultant services for the preparation of a feasibility study (FS) for the extension of the Jakarta Surabaya High Speed Train (KCJS) route and service.
In KCIC’s announcement letter, it is stipulated that the procurement value of the KCJS Prototype Feasiblity Study is US$ 1.7 million with an implementation period of 7 months.
The feasibility study will include demand analysis and preliminary technical and design studies of the Jakarta Surabaya High Speed Train.
Based on the open tender announcement signed by KCIC Procurement Manager Haryono Mintarto, the tentative procurement schedule has been opened since January 4, 2024 and closed on January 9, 2024.
For prospective participants, whose participation have been approved, the procurement documents were sent on January 10, 2024 via email to each participant.