Yogyakarta, August 29th 2024 – The Graduate School of Gadjah Mada University (SPs UGM) once again held Seminar and Webinar Series #2 titled “Intercity Trains and Logistics Railways” in the Auditorium Room on the 5th floor of SPs UGM, which was also broadcast online via Zoom. The event was attended by various stakeholders, academics, and students from various universities in Yogyakarta, featuring several competent speakers in the field of railways.
The seminar ran from 09:00 to 11:30 WIB, and was opened by Dr. Widyanto Dwi Nugroho, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Collaboration at SPs UGM. In his opening remarks, Dr. Widyanto emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration in advancing the transportation sector, particularly railways in Indonesia. “The Graduate School of UGM, as a multidisciplinary institution, strongly supports this activity from various perspectives. We hope today’s discussion can provide real contributions to the development of railways in the country,” he stated.
In-Depth Discussion on Asset Management and Transportation Innovation
The first session of the seminar began with a presentation by Mr. Catur Wicaksono, Head of the Railway Lines and Structures Sub-Directorate for Sumatra and Kalimantan, Directorate of Railway Infrastructure. In his presentation titled “Railway Infrastructure Asset Management,” he outlined the performance of railway operations from 2015 to 2024 and asset management of railway infrastructure. He also mentioned the target for the operation of railway lines in 2024. “Our target for 2024 is to achieve 94% of railway lines meeting the criteria for Class 1 and 2 tracks,” he explained.
The next session featured Mr. Rahadian Ratry, Deputy General Manager of Security, Safety, Health, and Environment at PT KCIC, who discussed the WHOOSH train with the title “WHOOSH: A New Era of Transportation Connectivity in Indonesia.” WHOOSH, as Indonesia’s first high-speed train project, is expected to become a fast, safe, and comfortable transportation option. “We focus on safety integration and providing added value to passengers,” Rahadian emphasized the importance of excellent service in every aspect of Whoosh’s operations.
Innovation and Challenges in Railway Service Development
This seminar also included speakers from PT KAI, PT CRI, and PT KA Logistik discussing topics ranging from improving passenger services, developing rail-based logistics services, to government collaboration with private entities (PPP) in railway operations. Mr. Roestono, Vice President of Passenger Ticketing Sales at PT KAI, stated that the volume of train passengers continues to rise each year. “Improving services is our top priority, both physically and digitally. We are committed to enhancing customer experience and supporting environmentally friendly services,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rosa Bovanantoo from PT CRI highlighted the importance of government cooperation with private entities (PPP) in developing railway infrastructure in eastern Indonesia, particularly the Makassar-Parepare line. “Railways in the eastern region are a source of pride. The severe natural challenges are our main focus in ensuring infrastructure reliability,” Rosa explained.
Next was a presentation by Mr. Heri Siswanto, Operations Director of PT KA Logistik, who thoroughly discussed the role of railways in logistics transport. “The challenges in providing railway freight transport services cannot be denied, especially regarding freight terminals that are not yet integrated with industrial areas. However, this presents opportunities for us to develop the market for each commodity segment in line with rail transport,” said Heri.
The event concluded with a discussion session moderated by Dr. Eng. Ir. Imam Muthohar, S.T., M.T. Participants actively asked questions about various railway-related issues, from asset management to service improvement strategies during peak seasons. One of the most discussed topics was PT KAI’s efforts to prevent a decline in service quality during busy times at stations and on trains.
Prof. Ir. Siti Malkhamah, M.Sc., Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate School, emphasized the importance of learning from best practices in the European Union and China in revitalizing the railway sector in Indonesia. “We need to focus on strengthening the railway ecosystem, including enhancing industry, technology, human resources, and the supply chain,” she stated.
It is hoped that more strategic recommendations can be implemented to advance the railway sector in Indonesia with this seminar, both in terms of infrastructure, services, and better asset management. The event concluded at 12:10 WIB with great hopes that today’s discussions would provide benefits that can be applied and sustained for the advancement of railway transportation in Indonesia.
Authors: Arfikah Istari, Siti Muyasaroh
Editors: Aryadhatu Dhaniswara, M. R. Fahmi Amrozi, Syarif H