Maros (21/01) - Since the limited trial in early October 2022, the Makassar-Parepare train has continued to increase in speed. In a presentation delivered by Director General of Railways Risal Wasal on Saturday (21/01), it was stated that now the train speed on the first train service in South Sulawesi can reach 110 km/hour.

 "The improvement of the construction and compaction of the soil structure and ballast on this railway line has caused this speed increase to be carried out on certain sections," Risal explained. The sections of the line that already have a speed limit of up to 100 km/hour include sections km 74 - km 90, and km 18 - km 44 in segment B and segment F.

As a result of the increased speed, the travel time for the Makassar-Parepare train service for the Maros-Garongkong crossing has been reduced to 68 minutes from the original 86 minutes. "Of course, this speed increase will continue to grow along with the improvement of the track construction that we are doing until it will actually be operated to serve the community," said Risal.

In addition to the nearly completed construction, Risal also explained that the use of a 1435 mm rail line enabled the operation of trains at medium to high speeds. This line width is different from the rail width used in Java and Sumatra, which is generally 1067 mm.

"With the width of the track, this train will be able to travel faster and carry more cargo than trains in Java," Risal explained. Risal is optimistic that when operated later, the Makassar-Parepare train can encourage significant economic growth in the South Sulawesi region.

To achieve this optimism, Risal explained that DJKA had made various efforts, including encouraging the utilization of station areas to support local micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

"Maybe in the future at these stations there will be coffee shops, hangouts, and local culinary, which come from curated MSMEs," said Risal.

 Furthermore, Risal explained that there would be an integration of supporting transportation modes to connect each station with surrounding tourist destinations. Moreover, along the train line, there are many excellent natural tourist destinations in South Sulawesi. For example, the Rammang-Rammang Karst Geopark can be reached in less than 5 minutes from Rammang-Rammang Station.

 At the end of his presentation, Risal emphasized that safety will remain a top priority in the construction of this railway line, in addition to increasing speed and supporting development. "We have ensured that there are no level crossings along this route, thereby minimizing the possibility of incidents involving train travel," Risal stated. (HJA)