Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi stated on Sunday that his ministry has included the plan for the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed railway in its blueprint.He mentioned that President Joko Widodo has instructed his ministry to make the blueprint. “What we will do is to build the project upon the foundations laid in the previous high-speed train project,” said Sumadi, referring to the recently operational Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Train. With the success of the train’s operation, his ministry is confident in designing the upcoming, more efficient fast train project with certain variables, he said. “(With the high-speed train), Jakarta to Surabaya can be traveled in 3.5 hours, down from the previous 11 hours by train,” he disclosed. The distance between Jakarta and Surabaya in East Java is more than 700 kilometers. One of the variables is related to cost, which will determine the routes taken by the fast train. “People’s purchasing power will also be a consideration,” he said. He noted that the Jakarta-Surabaya fast train project will be a joint effort between the government and the private sector. “Cities served by the fast train will experience economic benefits. The costs incurred to develop the fast train will be offset by the economic revival in many cities, such as Purwokerto, Cirebon, Yogyakarta, Solo, and Surabaya,” he remarked. Meanwhile, Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi mentioned that his administration fully supports the planned project, as Jakarta and Surabaya are the business centers in the country. If the railway project is realized, people will have more transportation options, he added.

Source: Antara News Agency