Indonesia Begins Construction of High-Speed Railway Project

Bandung, W Java, Jan 21 (Antara) - The government of Indonesia, on Thursday, initiated the construction of the high-speed railway project, which will connect Jakarta and Bandung. President Joko Widodo inaugurated the construction of the Rp70 trillion or some US$5.5 billion project on Thursday at a groundbreaking ceremony held at the tree plantation in Mandalawangi, West Bandung District, West Java Province. "The high-speed train will facilitate rapid mobility of goods and people," President Widodo affirmed. The president emphasized that mass transportation is paramount to reducing congestion not only in the capital city but also in other parts of Indonesia. "People have been relying on private vehicles, and they have forgotten the importance of mass transportation. Congestion has increased in cities. Mass transportation is the answer to such problems," Widodo noted. The government is cooperating with China in developing the high-speed train and railway that will extend 140.9 kilometers in length, connecting Jakarta and Bandung. The train is expected to shorten travel time between the two cities from two hours to only 35 minutes. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by some Indonesian ministers, heads of regions, and representatives from China such as Deputy Prime Minister of China Wang Yong, Ambassador of China to Indonesia Xie Fang, and officials from the Chinese enterprise. ***3*** Reporting by Panca Hari Wibowo and Ajat Sudrajat