Solo (WNAM MONITORING): Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi announced on Sunday that Indonesia’s longest elevated railway, located at the Joglo intersection in Solo, Central Java, is expected to begin operations by November 1 at the latest.
He made this statement while inspecting the progress of the elevated railway development after traveling from Kadipiro Station aboard a track inspection lorry.
“I came here by lorry, meaning that this railway is practically ready to accommodate the Semarang-Solo route,” Sumadi said.
However, he noted that his ministry will first collaborate with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing to conduct a weight test on October 23 and 24 to ensure the railway’s feasibility.
The projected November 1 launch depends on the results of the test, he added.
Sumadi expressed hope that the recurring traffic congestion at the intersection will be alleviated once the elevated railway becomes operational and the construction of the underpass is completed.
“This elevated railway is designed to be functional because this area is an epicenter of traffic congestion,” he said.
Sumadi also mentioned that the elevated railway project, valued at Rp1.2 trillion (US$76.7 million), includes a pair of tracks that will facilitate travel between Solo and Semarang, the province’s capital.
According to the Ministry of Transportation’s website, the elevated railway stretches 1.8 kilometers, making it the longest of its kind in Indonesia.
During a previous review of the project on April 13, Sumadi emphasized that the elevated tracks would help reduce traffic congestion at a nearby level crossing.
“There are seven roads at the Joglo intersection. When a train crosses, it can cause traffic delays of up to 30 minutes. That’s why we are innovating by constructing this structure, which can also serve as another icon of Solo,” he explained.
