Rode Paulus Gagok Pudjiono, the head of the South Sumatra Light Railway Management Centre, was the keynote speaker at the Railway Company's (MASKA) Regional Deliberation (Musda) held on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at Sriwijaya University's Faculty of Engineering Building. The event, which was attended by various stakeholders in the railway sector, was an important occasion to discuss the development of rail transport in Indonesia.

In his presentation, Rode outlined in detail the rapid development of the railway industry in Indonesia in recent years. He emphasised that railways, including the South Sumatra LRT, play an important role in promoting community mobility and regional economic growth. The South Sumatra LRT is a tangible demonstration of the government's commitment to providing modern, safe, and environmentally friendly public transport. This project not only connects strategic areas in Palembang and its surroundings but also serves as a model for the development of rail-based mass transport in other major cities in Indonesia,' he explained.

He also outlined some of the key achievements since the South Sumatra LRT began operations in 2018. According to him, the South Sumatra LRT has successfully transported millions of passengers every year and continues to improve in terms of service frequency and customer satisfaction. 'We have increased the number of operating schedules, improved travel time efficiency, and continued to maintain and improve the infrastructure to ensure passenger safety and comfort,' he continued.

As well as discussing the South Sumatra LRT, he also highlighted the development of the national railway infrastructure in general. According to him, the central and regional governments are currently actively developing new railway lines in various regions of Indonesia. The aim is to improve connectivity between regions and reduce reliance on increasingly congested land transport.

In the last five years, we have seen several new railway development projects, both for passengers and freight. The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project, the construction of railway lines in Kalimantan and Sulawesi, and the revitalisation of old lines in Java are some examples of ongoing initiatives. This shows that rail transport is indeed a priority in national infrastructure development," he said.

He added that the modernisation of rail services is also in line with the government's efforts to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. Rail transport, including light rail, is seen as one of the best solutions to environmental challenges, particularly in large cities with high levels of pollution.

Despite the progress that has been made, Rode is not blind to the challenges that still face the development of railways in Indonesia. One of the main challenges is improving the infrastructure, which requires large investments and must be done gradually. He also stressed the importance of synergy between central and local government, as well as community support, to ensure the sustainability of these mass transport projects.

We still face major challenges, ranging from financing to infrastructure maintenance, which requires high costs and advanced technology. However, we are optimistic that with the support of all parties, we can achieve an integrated and efficient transport system throughout Indonesia,' he said.

He hopes that the Sumsel LRT will continue to be a model for mass transit development that can be replicated in other provinces. We hope that the success of the South Sumatra LRT will inspire other regions to develop similar transport systems. This is important if we are to meet the challenges of urbanisation and traffic congestion in the future,' he said.

The DPD regional conference is an important event for stakeholders to exchange views and ideas on the future of railways in Indonesia. In addition to discussing the South Sumatra LRT, the forum also addressed several other issues, such as intermodal integration, advanced technology in railways, and the role of the private sector in infrastructure development.