Ministry to shut 144 illegal railroad crossings
The Jakarta Post | Jakarta | Thu, May 31 2012, 9:34 AM
JAKARTA: The Transportation Ministry’s railways directorate has launched a Rp 2.16 billion (US$226,800) project to close 144 illegal railroad crossings in Greater Jakarta, according to state railway operator PT KAI.
The ministry and KAI started the program on Wednesday, closing an illegal crossing near Jl. Tentara Pelajar in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta.
Two concrete barriers were placed to prevent motorcycles from entering the tracks.
About 600 motorists used the crossroad as a shortcut between Jl. Tentara Pelajar and Jl. Arteri Patal Senayan every day, according to KAI. Four deadly accidents involving the shortcut were recorded this year alone.
“This crossroad should have never been used by vehicles. There are 164 trains that go back and forth along this track every day. Those trains are used for many purposes, from carrying passengers to coal, and operate 24 hours,” KAI’s enforcement chief Akhmad Sujadi said.
Illegal crossings in Tebet, South Jakarta, and Cawang, Wast Jakarta, were next on the list, before the accident-reduction program was rolled out to Bogor, Merak, Cikampek, Rangkas Bitung and Sukabumi, Akhmad said.
