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Construction of airport railway link ongoing despite land clearance problems
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, accompanied by several ministers, inspects the airport railway link at Soekarno-Hata International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Nov. 4. (Courtesy of the Presidential Office/Laily )
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tate-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has said that the construction of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport railway link is still ongoing despite problems related to land clearance.
"The construction process is still going on and in February the rolling stock [train sets] will come in," KAI president director Edi Sukmoro said at Gambir Station in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Edi added that the line would also go to the Jakarta Kota Station in the Old Town area along with the planned Sudirman Station in the city center. The additional route will be useful for people in North Jakarta, he claimed.
"A lot of people in North Jakarta do not have cars, so the train will be useful for them especially if they want to go to Tangerang in the West," he said.
As of November, 78 percent of the required land had been cleared. However, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi wants the track to be clear from all settlements.
As the ministry has to coordinate with the Jakarta administration regarding the relocation of illegal settlements, the land clearing process will be continued after the election.
The airport link is targeted to begin operations in June. (evi)
