Padang-The Railway Engineering Center (BTP) Class II Padang conducted Education and Refresher Training activities for Railway Crossing Guards of West Sumatra (West Sumatra) on 4-9 September 2023. In collaboration with the Indonesian Railway Polytechnic (PPI) Madiun, this activity aims to extend the validity period of the officer's smartcard so that it can qualify officers who are competent in carrying out their duties.

Head of BTP Padang Supandi in his speech represented by the Head of Traffic, Facilities, and Safety Section Aslinawani Sirait said this needs to be done considering that the Crossing Guard (PJL) is the front guard of safety on the railroad crossing. Moreover, West Sumatera is one of the regions with a high rate of traffic accidents at level crossings.

"For information, from 2017 to August, BTP Padang recorded 189 accidents at level crossings. This condition is very concerning considering the length of the active line in West Sumatra is only 107 kilometers and only has three train services," he said when opening the activity on Monday, 4 September 2023.

He mentioned that one of the causes of the high accident rate is the number of unregistered or illegal level crossings. Therefore, BTP Padang conducted a safety improvement program by building and operating POS Direct Crossing Paths (JPL) in the West Sumatra region since April 2023.

"This is one of the efforts to strengthen the role and function of BTP Padang as a railway regulator in accordance with PM No. 36/2022 concerning the Work Procedure Organization of the Railway Engineering Center," he added.

Since the operation of JPL in April, 81 PJL have been placed in 27 stations spread across Pariaman City, namely 18 people, 30 PJL in Padang City and 33 PJL in Padang Pariaman Regency. In its implementation, the operation went well because of regular monitoring and evaluation.

On this occasion, 29 street vendors participated in two stages of training. In the first stage, participants will receive material provided by Deputy Director I of the Academic Section of PPI Madiun Muhamad Nurhadi and other material by PPI Madiun Lecturer Edi Nyoto Setyo. And on the next day, field practice will be carried out so that participants can directly practice the material that has been learned.

"This activity is a provision for PJLs who have previously expired their certificates, so it is necessary to extend them because this is one of the requirements that PJLs are competent in carrying out their duties. Not only for PJLs who have expired smartcards as PJLs, but this training is also intended for PJLs who do not yet have smartcards," Nurhadi said.

One of the presenters of the training conducted at ZHM Premiere Hotel Padang City hopes that the training for PJLs is expected to improve safety and reduce the accident rate at level crossings.