Cikarang - Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi and Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani finally inaugurated Cikarang Station on Thursday (31/03) after the revitalization process.

The construction of Cikarang Station itself is included in the double double track (DDT) project between Manggarai and Cikarang.

Numbers of new facilities were also presented, including the addition of area and service facilities, four pairs of escalators, four lifts, and four manual stairs for users to switch platforms. There is also one pair of escalators and one pair of manual stairs for users from outside the station to the station hall on the 2nd floor. In addition, various supporting facilities have been built, such as prayer rooms, toilets for men, women, and people with disabilities, long-distance train boarding machines, an electronic gate for commuter train users, a large parking lot, a security guard room, and office space for train officers.

Fascinatingly, this development uses State Sharia Bond (SBSN) as a creative funding breakthrough by the government in the midst of the limited state budget.

Harno Trimadi, the Director of Railway Infrastructure, explained this when accompanying the two ministers to inaugurate the Cikarang station.

"SBSN plays a very important role in the development of the Manggarai-Cikarang DDT project, where 70% of the funding source is obtained from SBSN, while the rest comes from Foreign Loans and Grants (PHLN) JICA Loan No. IP - 508 and Pure Rupiah," he said.

Harno also submitted a progress report on the construction of other stations using SBSN funds, including Bekasi Station, Jatinegara Station, Cipinang Depot, and several other stations along the Manggarai-Cikarang DDT.

"The development progress is going well and smoothly. We hope that everything will be finishedon time," Harno said.

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, in her speech, said she was delighted that Cikarang Station could be built with state money through SBSN. Financing with this scheme is also a form of public accountability because the public can see the use of the state budget to build infrastructure in the railway sector.

"Hopefully the infrastructure that has been built can be enjoyed to support community mobility in various productive activities, and hopefully, the assets that have been built can be maintained and become assets of community pride," said Sri Mulyani.

On the same occasion, the Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, also expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the Ministry of Finance for the funding support that has been provided. Through this revitalization, Cikarang Station has become better and more modern, with a larger capacity for service users.

"Through SBSN, we build from the people for the people. As we can see, the station is better because it was built in earnest, and the benefits must be directly felt by the community," said the Minister of Transportation.

This activity also inaugurated inter- and intermodal integration to ensure public access to and from Cikarang Station. DJKA has also coordinated with DAMRI to provide station bus services to facilitate mobility. The DAMRI bus service will later connect Cikarang station with the industrial area center in JABABEKA and its surroundings.

The inauguration ceremony was also carried out symbolically by beating a drum by the Minister of Transportation together with the Minister of Finance and accompanied by several other officials. (DPP)