Illustrative image (Source: internet) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has said that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was completing a comprehensive feasibility study on the Jakarta-Surabaya railway.
The Government of Indonesia expects to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JICA later this year to begin the construction of this high-speed railway project by the middle of next year.
The project will consist of two phases whereby the first one will build a new rail track from Jakarta to Semarang while the second one will upgrade the existing rail track from Semarang to Surabaya.
It is estimated to take two years to construct and then six months to test before becoming operational in late 2022.
The average speed will range between 140 and 145 kilometres per hour (kph) with a top speed of 160 kph, shortening the travelling time from Jakarta to Surabaya to about six hours.
JICA estimated the project to cost 90 trillion rupiah (about 6.29 billion USD) in total but the Indonesian Government will try to keep the price tag below 60 trillion rupiah.
JICA said it will provide the loans while the Indonesian Government provides land to implement the project.-VNA
VNA
