Railway line to be revitalized

Aditya Suharmoko ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 05/11/2009 2:54 PM  |  Business

The government will revitalize the abandoned railway line between Tanjung Priok and Kota, and relocate 5,000 people living along the track, to make way for "decent mass transportation", says Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

"Based on the President's instruction last week, we will revitalize the railway line *between* Tanjung Priok *and Kota* for the safety and comfort of train passengers. We will also relocate the people living along the track," she said Friday at a press conference.

She added the railway line would be cleared in accordance with existing regulations, which stipulate no people are allowed to live within certain areas around the tracks.

Mulyani, along with Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, State Minister for People's Housing M. Yusuf Asy'ari and Transportation Minister Jusman Syafi'i Djamal, inspected the track, which is surrounded by slum areas.

The 124-year-old Tanjung Priok Station was inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on March 29.

At least 5,000 people live in slum areas along the railway line.

"We're renewing the data, and also looking for available land for the relocations," said Asy'ari.

Mulyani said the government would draw up a working plan within two weeks to lay out possible medium-term steps, including revitalizing the railway line, clearing land and providing cheap housing.

She added the Transportations Ministry would be responsible for ensuring the railway line would be in use as scheduled, while state-run railway operator PT KAI would clear the railway lines, and the Jakarta administration would relocate people living in the slum areas along the lines.

Jusman said his office had allocated Rp 20 billion (US$1.92 million) for the revitalization of the Tanjung Priok-Kota line.

He also said the government could take the lead on another project, the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport line, if investors refused to jump in.

"Investors that follow the bidding expect government support," he said.

The government will need Rp 1.4 trillion to build tracks and stations and get the Soekarno-Hatta line running, he added.

Mulyani said the government would allocate money for the revitalization of railway lines in Greater Jakarta and the relocation of people living nearby in the 2010 fiscal stimulus designated for the Transportation Ministry.

She added the government would continue to expand railway services to other areas nationwide.

"The directorate general of railways *at the Transportation Ministry* has further plans," she said.

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