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Jakarta riot: Train services modified amid election protest
Election result protests that escalated into riots late on Tuesday have affected commuter train operations, resulting in route modifications.
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Police officers secure Jl. KS Tubun in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday, May 22, 2019. (Antara/Aprilio Akbar)
E
lection result protests that escalated into riots late on Tuesday have led to the disruption of commuter trains in the capital since Wednesday morning, resulting in passengers being left stranded at stations.
A riot that began on Jl. MH.Thamrin, Central Jakarta, expanded to Tanah Abang, where one of the major commuter line transit stations is situated.
Leila, a commuter line passenger who departed from Rawabuntu Station in South Tangerang heading to Tanah Abang Station in Central Jakarta for work, was forced to disembark at Kebayoran Station in South Jakarta due to a route modification by the state-owned commuter line operator PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI).
"It is unfortunate, I need to go to Tanah Abang but now I have to take another form of public transportation from here. But it is better than being stranded in Tanah Abang," she said in Kebayoran.
Read also: Jakarta riot: Police dormitory under control after rioters burn cars nearby
KCI spokeswoman Anne Purba said in a written statement on Wednesday that the firm had modified the commuter line routes heading to Palmerah Station and Tanah Abang Station.
"With this modification, trains from Rangkas Bitung, Maja, Parung Panjang and Serpong stations will not stop at Palmerah and Tanah Abang Station. Meanwhile, trains on the loop line from Bogor, Depok, Nambo stations and Duri and Jatinegara stations will only operate until Manggarai Station," she said.
She said the decision was made for passengers' safety.
In addition, train passengers with tickets departing from Gambir Station in Central Jakarta are allowed to depart from Jatinegara Station in East Jakarta instead.
PT KAI operational region (DAOP) 1 Jakarta has decided to modify 33 train departures after several ongoing mass demonstrations in Central Jakarta had the potential to cause passengers heading to Gambir Station to become stuck in traffic.
The railway operator said the modifications would be implemented from 5.25 a.m. until 11.00 p.m. on Wednesday.
“Usually, trains departing from Gambir Station do not stop at Jatinegara Station. However, today trains will stop at Jatinegara Station to pick up or drop off passengers,” Eva Chairunisa, senior communication manager at KAI DAOP 1 said in a statement. (das)
