The consortium responsible for the $7.3 billion high-speed rail line in Indonesia has announced a postponement of the free trial launch until the next month. This delay is another setback for the flagship project, which is sponsored by China.
The consortium known as PT KCIC, comprising state-owned businesses from Indonesia and China, has stated that further time is required to assure the safety and comfort of passengers for the 142-kilometer (88-mile) railway project between Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and Bandung city.
The aforementioned endeavour, which is a component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, was initially scheduled for completion by 2019. However, it has encountered many challenges such as a significant cost overrun of $1.2 billion and setbacks in its commercial operating timeline.
The Kansas City International Airport (KCIC) has announced that the scheduled free trial period for travellers, originally planned for August 18th, has been postponed until early September. However, this delay is not anticipated to impact the planned full operational launch on October 1st, as stated by KCIC on Tuesday.
According to Mohamad Risal Wasal, an official from the transport ministry, safety checks were still in progress as of the previous Friday.
According to KCIC, the internal testing have been conducted without any major issues. However, the company is currently collaborating with the transport ministry to obtain the essential operational certificates.
During President Joko Widodo’s visit to China last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised the need of upholding high standards as the project approaches its completion, urging both countries to maintain its adherence.