Indonesia delays opening of China-funded Jakarta-Bandung railway amid safety concerns

The soft launch of the high-speed railway, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, has been moved to September from this month, its operator said

It deals a fresh blow to President Joko Widodo’s flagship project that has already suffered land disputes, cost overruns and accidents, leading to years of delay

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo admires a model of a Chinese high-speed train in 2016. The soft launch of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway has been pushed back to September. Photo: AP

Bloomberg

Published: 7:00am, 10 Aug 2023

Indonesia is again delaying the opening of a China-funded high-speed train, citing safety concerns.

The soft launch of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway will be pushed back to September, instead of August 18, even if the commercial opening is still set for October 1, its operator said on Tuesday.

PT KCIC, a consortium of Indonesian and Chinese state companies behind the 142-kilometre (88-mile) railway, said more time was needed to ensure passengers’ safety and comfort.

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Safety checks were ongoing as of last Friday, according to transport ministry official Mohamad Risal Wasal.

KCIC said internal trials had gone smoothly, but the company was still working with the transport ministry on necessary operational certificates.

“The implication is more political than technical, as Jokowi had expected the rail commencement to be part of the Independence Day commemoration,” said analyst Sulfikar Amir, referring to President Joko Widodo by his nickname.

“This delay will only worsen the public image of this project,” said Sulfikar, an academic at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University whose research interests include Indonesia’s infrastructure.