JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - President Joko Widodo is scheduled to officiate the groundbreaking of the development of the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Train (HST) in Bandung, West Java today after the government issued environment assessment study (AMDAL) on Wednesday (Jan. 20).
Minister for Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya said Wednesday that the AMDAL document has been issued, clearing the last hurdle in the development of the high-speed train project. “The (AMDAL) permit has been given, while at the same time we will give one month opportunity to the public to give inputs related with the project,” she said.
Some observers however raised concerned as the issuance of the environmental assessment could be too hastily as the project is yet to be included in the spatial planning document (RTRW) in each region that will be affected by the project. However, the government seems to move ahead with the plan.
The high-speed train will have a length of 142.3 kms, linking Halim in East Jakarta and Bandung. It will stop over in four stations, namely Halim, Karawang, Walini and Tegalluar in Bandung.
The groundbreaking ceremony will be held in Cikalong Wetan, West Bandung.
The project, funded through Non-State Budget sources, will be developed by a consortium of Indonesian State Owned companies and China’s state owned company China Railway International Co. Ltd. The Indonesian SOEs, namely PT Wijaya Karta Tbk, PT Jasa Marga Tbk, PT Perkebunan Nusantara VIII and PT Kereta Api Indonesia, have set up a joint venture company called PT Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia (PSBI), led by Wijaya Karta.
The Jakarta-Bandung HST project has earlier stirred public debate as some argued that the project is not urgent. Those who opposed the project said that it is better to spend the funds to develop other infrastructure projects outside Java Island, while those who agreed argued that the HST project is a move to anticipate congested traffic between Jakarta and Bandung. The HST will ease burden of the tollroad linking the two cities.
In addition, the project has also caused strained relation between Indonesia and Japan as the HST project was initially proposed by Japan. Then, China expressed interest to develop the HST project, prompting the government to hold tender. In a safe-facing move, the Joko Widodo government decided to halt the project as the government will not fund the project. State Enterprise Minister Rini Soemarno then took over the project, saying that the HST will be funded by Non-State budget sources, causing Japanese government and agencies to be upset. (*)