Garut (15/03) - After not operating for almost 40 years, the re-operation of the Cibatu-Garut railway line was inaugurated by the Minister of Transportation, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, and the Regent of Garut on Tuesday (15/03). During this inauguration activity, the Governor of West Java, President Director of PT KAI (Persero), officials from the Ministry of Transportation and the board of PT KAI (Persero) were also present.

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said that the reactivation of the 19,063 km Cibatu - Garut cross was driven by the need to support the Garut Regency Tourism Strategic Area (KSPK). "In addition to having a potential tourism area, Garut Regency also has a superior industrial product in the form of a leather craft industry that is able to become a tourist attraction," said Minister of Transportation Budi.

Minister of Transportation Budi said that Garut Regency has tourism potential, which has been very well known since the colonial era. In fact, at that time, Garut Regency was known as the Swiss van Java due to the phenomenal panorama of the mountain range. Therefore, the Minister of Transportation Budi said that the reactivation of the Cibatu-Garut route is full of memories of the glory of Garut as a tourist destination in the past.

"I understand very well that this route holds many memories for the people of Garut," said Minister of Transportation Budi. The Minister of Transportation Budi conveyed this after receiving a report on the story of the community who participated in a series of trial activities. According to him, one of the residents who participated in the trial activity admitted that he had been waiting for the return of the train on the Cibatu-Garut route since he was in elementary school until now he is 52 years old.

In addition to supporting the development of tourism areas in Garut, the reactivation of the Cibatu-Garut route is carried out to accommodate the growth of community mobility to and from Garut Regency. Based on the data in the Final Report of the Feasibility Study and Basic Engineering Design of Railroad Reactivation in West Java (2020), it is known that motorbikes dominate the movement of passengers from and to Garut Regency.

In addition, the high level of community mobility to and from Garut Regency is also reflected in the Jakarta-Garut bus occupancy, which also has a reasonably solid demand. Therefore, the development of transportation routes is expected to create a tendency for people to switch from private vehicles or other road transportation to rail transportation.

The reactivation of the Cibatu-Garut railway line is part of the plan to develop rail networks and services as stipulated in the National Railway Master Plan. In order to be in harmony with the development of Garut Regency, the reactivation of the Cibatu-Garut railway line is carried out in accordance with the spatial plan and development plan (RT/RWN, RIPN 2030). In addition, this reactivation activity is also supported by the Decree of the Minister of Transportation Number KM 50 of 2020 concerning Assignment to PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) for the Implementation of Cibatu - Garut Public Railway Infrastructure.

In order to support train operations on this line, DJKA has prepared a PSO subsidy payment scheme. This PSO subsidy is given to stimulate passenger growth by providing incentives in the form of affordable ticket prices. As an illustration, the ticket price for the Cikuray Train (KA) with the relation from Pasar Senen Station to Garut Station can be reduced to IDR 45,000 using PSO funds. Meanwhile, local trains serving the Cibatu-Garut route will charge a tariff of Rp. 6,000 after being subsidized by DJKA through PSO. (HJA).