Transportation Ministry to continue railway construction in Aceh
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily - Kemenhub lanjutkan pembangunan KA di Aceh
3 April 2023
Jakarta - The Transportation Ministry will continue to construct the railway in Aceh Province to facilitate the connectivity of passengers and goods among provinces, cities, and regencies. Railway construction in Aceh is part of the construction of Trans-Sumatra Railway.
“Railway infrastructure construction in Aceh must be continued as Aceh has an economic potential that can be developed. The Cut Meutia is a real proof of our care to develop mass transportation in Aceh,” the Transportation Minister said in his official statement after observing the development of the construction of Lhokseumawe-Bireuen railway route last weekend.
During the occasion, the Transportation Minister also tried the Cut Meutia that has operated as a pioneer train on the Krueng Geukueh Station-Bungkaih Station-Krueng Mane Station route that is part of the Lhoseumawe-Bireuen route.
One trainset consists of two carriages, and it serves seven trips per day with a tariff of Rp2,000. In the future, the Transportation Minister said that the service of the Cut Meutia that was made domestically by PT Inka would be extended to reach more stations to be Krueng Geukueh Station-Bungkaih Station-Krueng Mane Station-Geurugok Station-Kutablang Station.
The Transportation Minister said that the railway project would be connected from Medan to the end of Sumatra, Banda Aceh. Later, the railway route will facilitate local businesses in Aceh to distribute their products outside.
“We are completing the construction so that it can operate faster. When it is completed, I will invite President Jokowi to attend,” the Transportation Minister said.
Besides the railway route from Krueng Geukueh Station to Kutablang Station, Krueng Geukueh-Paloh railway route is also currently being completed.
Lhokseumawe-Bireuen railway route that is currently being completed goes through several regions, namely Lhokseumawe-Goa Jepang-Paloh-Krueng Geukueh-Krueng Mane-Geurugok-Kutablang-matang Glumpang Dua-Tanoh Mirah-Bireuen. The railway route has a track width of 1,435 mm (standard gauge), the same as Makassar-Parepare railway in South Sulawesi.
The Transportation Minister added that the extension of the operational railway route was expected to improve the interest of citizens in Aceh and its surroundings in using mass transportation.
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