BEIJING, Oct 26 – The Jakarta-Bandung HSR project is the first overseas venture to rely wholly on Chinese railway systems, technology and components.
Ju Guojiang, chairman of China Railway International Co, said: “The project’s main feature is undoubtedly its speed. It is the first high-speed railway built outside of China to have a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour.”
The China-Laos Railway was designed with a maximum speed of 160 km/h, while the Hungary-Serbia Railway, which is still under construction, has a projected top speed of 200 km/h.
The Jakarta-Bandung HSR is the result of joint efforts by participants from China and Indonesia. The two nations signed an agreement in October 2015 to establish a joint venture to build and operate the project, for which construction began in 2018.
Dwiyana Slamet Riyadi, president-director of PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China, or KCIC, said, “We worked together on construction, operation and maintenance.”
KCIC is a joint venture between PT Pilar Sinergi BUMN, a consortium of Indonesian government-owned companies, and Beijing Yawan Co, a syndicate of Chinese railway companies.
Riyadi said most of the construction workers for the project were Indonesian, with 15,000 people employed. There were seven Indonesian workers for every Chinese employee.
The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed line boasts 13 tunnels and 56 bridges. The trains, which have been adapted for Indonesia’s tropical climate, are equipped with a safety system that responds to earthquakes, floods and other emergency situations.
Lu Kang, China’s ambassador to Indonesia, said, “This high-speed railway project is a very fine example of the mutual trust and mutual assistance among friendly countries.
“From inception to completion, and despite the challenges faced during the construction period, teams from both countries cooperated closely, supporting each other through difficulties and challenges.”
In the coming years, Indonesia is expected to become fully equipped to operate the new high-speed line independently.
Riyadi said: “We foresee a smooth transfer of technology and knowledge. We expect this process to take one to two years.”
Travel time cut
China has liaised with nations and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to use its experience and technology to support the development of more countries. However, the motives behind China’s actions have been questioned by some international commentators.
Responding to these concerns, Riyadi said, “We will benefit from this project, particularly in terms of economic and regional growth, as well as later, when the high-speed route has been operational for some time.”
Connecting Jakarta with Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West Java, the high-speed line serves a population of 40 million, drastically reducing travel time between the two cities from more than three hours to just 40 minutes.
The World Bank has said that implementing all the projects within the BRI framework will generate about $1.6 trillion in global revenue annually by 2030. This would account for 1.3 percent of global GDP, with 90 percent of the benefits shared among participating partners.
Lu said, “From 2015 to 2030, almost 40 million people will be lifted out of poverty under the auspices of the BRI.”
The new line’s high operating speed of 350 km/h is motivating Mustofa, the driver, to study high-speed rail technology.
“As I am responsible for the safety of passengers traveling at such a speed, I feel a great deal of pressure,” Mustofa said.
This responsibility is inspiring Mu, Mustofa’s instructor, to instill a sense of awe in his pupil.
“When I was a trainee, my instructor told me to regard high-speed trains with a sense of awe so that I could concentrate on my work and transport passengers safely. I hope Mustofa can develop this sense of awe. It is the most important thing I want to pass on to him,” Mu said.
Mustofa hopes to fully master the technology for driving bullet trains in the next few months to make his mark on history as one of his country’s first high-speed train drivers.
