Japanese envoy meets Indonesian ministers to discuss semi-express train line

Japanese prime ministers special adviser, Hiroto Izumi, met Indonesian Transportation Minister, Budi Karya Sumadi, and Public Works and Housing Minister, Basuki Hadimuljono, here on Wednesday to discuss a number of infrastructure projects.

"At the meeting, we discussed a number of projects, including Patimban port, Jakarta-Surabaya semi-express train line, and East to West mass rapid transport system," Izumi stated at the Transportation Ministry.

During the meeting, both sides agreed on several basic principles that President Joko Widodo had discussed with the Japanese government delegation the day before.

Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Indonesia-Japan diplomatic ties, Izumi pledged to complete the construction of the projects, including Patimban Port in Subang, West Java, as quickly as possible.

"When it comes to Patimban port, we have set ourselves the target of launching the soft opening in Feb 2019 instead of March 2019 as originally planned," he noted.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla has suggested that semi-express train lines linking Jakarta to Surabaya should use the existing tracks to expedite the project.

"The Jakarta-Surabaya semi-express train lines should use the existing tracks so that the project could be completed more quickly without removing stations," Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi quoted the vice president as saying on Wednesday.

Source: ANTARA