Padang — The recent heavy rains in West Sumatra caused flooding in several areas, including on KM 56+700/850 between Sicincin and Kayutanam. This caused a delay of up to 115 minutes for the replacement train on the Lembah Anai line between Kayutanam and Duku stations.

Following the incident, the Class II Railway Technical Office (BTP) in Padang, in cooperation with PT KAI (Persero) Divre II Sumbar, conducted an on-site inspection to determine the cause and implement measures to ensure the smooth continuation of train services.

It should be noted that this flood-prone area is located near the ongoing construction of a toll road, which has had some impact on the railway infrastructure.

"Several measures will be taken in this section, including the construction of a box culvert, drainage improvements, and soil retention walls. Of course, all of this will be coordinated and synergized with the various stakeholders involved, including the companies involved in the planning of the Sicincin-Lubuk Alung-Padang toll road," said BTP Padang head Hendrialdi in his statement.

On a separate occasion, BTP Padang, together with the Directorate of Railway Safety, also conducted monitoring and evaluation of this flood-prone area to develop strategic measures to address the flooding that has previously caused delays in train operations in West Sumatra.

"We hope that with thorough studies and evaluations, this area will no longer experience flooding that disrupts train operations," he concluded.