Makassar-Parepare railway will connect up to Manado
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 - KA Makassar-Parepare akan tersambung hingga Manado
30 March 2023
By: Amrozi Amenan
Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is inaugurating the operation of the Maros-Barru route of Makassar-Parepare railway, which is the first railway in Sulawesi. The President said that the route would be connected to northern Sulawesi to Manado.
“Later, inshallah (God willing), it will be connected from Makassar to the north in North Sulawesi in Manado. However, it is currently only connected from Makassar to Parepare. We are currently inaugurating the route from Maros to Barru,” President Jokowi said during the inauguration of Makassar-Parepare railway at Maros Depot in South Sulawesi on Wednesday (29/3/2023).
President Jokowi explained that Makassar-Parepare railway would be part of the Trans-Sulawesi railway megaproject. The railway route from Maros Station in Maros Regency to Garongkong Station in Barru Regency in South Sulawesi spans 80 kilometres, and it is part of the Makassar-Parepare railway project that spans 145 kilometres (km) with 120 km constructed.
“By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful), this afternoon, I am inaugurating the operation of Makassar-Parepare railway from Maros to Barru and Maros Depot,” President Jokowi said.
During the inauguration, President Jokowi, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Investment Minister/BKPM Head Bahlil Lahadalia, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, South Sulawesi Governor Andi Sudirman Sulaiman, Railways Director General Risal Wasal, KAI President Director Didiek Hartantyo, and PT Celebes Railway President Director Helmi Adam tested the railway from Maros Station to Ramang-Ramang Station that has a natural tourism destination called Ramang-Ramang.
“I tried the railway from Maros to Ramang-Ramang. The train is good and comfortable,” he said.
The President revealed that the government would continue to construct mass transportation in various regions to facilitate passenger and goods connectivity among regions, provinces, cities, and regencies.
“We were late to construct mass transportation, so there are traffic jams in every city. So, we must continuously build mass transportation, including this railway,” he stated.
The President said that Makassar-Parepare railway was expected to increase the interest of citizens in Sulawesi in prioritising the use of mass transportation.
“We hope that people will not use private vehicles. With trains that are comfortable, cool, and clean, people will shift to use railways so that roads will not be congested,” President Jokowi said.
The railway service in Sulawesi is expected to facilitate passenger and goods movement, support the tourism potential, absorb workforce, open new jobs, and develop micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to boost the people’s economic growth and regional competitiveness.
According to the President, the operation of Makassar-Parepare railway as well as the increase in train carriages and transportation services will increase the economic competitiveness in Sulawesi as railway transportation has a low cost. If there are more railways in Sulawesi, they will not only be used for passengers, but also for tourism and freight.
“If there are more trains, passengers, tourism, and freight [can be accommodated]. They will improve our state’s competitiveness as freight will be carried by an affordable transportation. Not by other [modes of transportation],” President Jokowi said.
“However, this is a choice we can provide to the people and to business players to use the route that we have built,” he continued.
The Head of State also emphasises the importance of building mass transportation in various cities in Indonesia as mass transportation is a basic connectivity infrastructure.
“We needed to decide if we should focus on Kalimantan or Sulawesi. It was decided to be Sulawesi. If not, everybody will use private cars, nobody will use mass transportation,” President Jokowi said.
He also said that the construction of Makassar-Parepare railway was a solution for the high traffic volume that causes traffic jams, and it also sustains the connectivity of the people and services with a low cost.
President Jokowi said that traffic jams occurred in major cities in Indonesia. Traffic jams occur in various major cities as public transportation or mass transportation was constructed too late.
“Too late, even though they are a basic [necessity] to connect provinces, cities, and regencies. Of course, we chose the most affordable one. Hence, railways are a basic thing to be built,” he explained.
The Head of State added that, due to the lateness in constructing mass transportation for passengers and freight, all parties used private vehicles. Hence, traffic jams occur in all cities.
“In Jakarta, it was 30 years too late. Even though there is MRT, it has only one route. The LRT has yet to operate. So, in Jakarta, there are traffic jams in the morning, afternoon, evening, and at night as we were late in constructing [mass transportation],” President Jokowi said.
Total route spanning 157.7 km
During the occasion, the Transportation Minister explained the development of Makassar-Parepare railway project. Out of the total length of 157.7 km, 142 km is the main track, while 15.7 km is the siding track that connects the railway to Garongkong Port and Tonasa Cement Factory.
“In line with the direction from the President, interregional connectivity in Sulawesi needs to be improved. Thank God, today, the President can inaugurate the operation of the Maros-Barru route,” the Transportation Minister said.
Until now, the Transportation Minister said that the railway track has reached 118 km with 90 km from Maros Station to Barru Station ready to be operated with 10 stations. The facilities that will be used on this railway track are two trainsets of domestic electro-diesel trains from PT Inka that can accommodate 148 people per trainset.
This train can go up to 90 km per hour, which will cut travel time from Makassar to Parepare from 3 hours to 1.5 hours. The train is planned to operate eight trips per day.
The investment value of the construction of Makassar-Parepare railway project is Rp9.28 trillion, which is sourced from the state budget (APBN), public-private partnership (PPP) financing, land procurement by the State Asset Management Agency (LMAN), and the regional budget (APBD).
