1-10-2023 (JAKARTA) Indonesia is preparing to unveil Southeast Asia’s inaugural high-speed railway on Monday, a long-awaited multibillion-dollar initiative supported by China that will dramatically reduce travel time between the capital, Jakarta, and the major city of Bandung.
The Chinese-manufactured bullet train, known as “Whoosh,” is designed to transport over 600 passengers between Jakarta and Bandung on the island of Java in just 45 minutes. This project is a key component of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure programme.
Local media reports suggest that President Joko Widodo will officially inaugurate the high-speed rail link, praising it for significantly speeding up the journey between the two bustling Indonesian cities.
According to Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, “We will launch it on Oct 2 because the president is busy on Oct 1.”
The “Whoosh” train can reach speeds of up to 350 km/h and has incurred a total cost of over $7 billion as a result of a joint effort between Chinese and Indonesian ventures.
PT KCIC, a consortium of four Indonesian state companies in collaboration with China Railway International, undertook the construction of this high-speed rail link.
Originally expected to cost less than $5 billion and be completed by 2019, a series of delays due to construction difficulties and the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased costs.
To ensure the railway’s safety and efficiency, public trials have been conducted over the 142 km route leading up to the launch.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, during his visit to Jakarta last month for summits with Southeast Asian leaders, experienced the train’s service alongside senior Indonesian minister Luhut Pandjaitan.
Pandjaitan stated on Thursday that President Widodo is planning to host Chinese President Xi Jinping in the future for a ride on the high-speed train, although no further details were provided.
