Careful! 144 Railway Crossings in Jakarta Have No Gate

From 481 railway crossings in the capital city, 144 crossings have no gate. What is worse is that most of those railway crossings are located in dense populated settlements spread in five municipalities. Therefore, citizens are urged to be very careful when going through railway crossings.

There are two factors of accident, namely no railway crossing gates and motorists’ bad driving attitude. As a result, accident increasing

Based on PT Kereta Api Operational Area (Daop) I data, as many as 83 accidents have happened on railway crossings since January to June. Most of the victims were motorists who recklessly trespassing official crossing gates as well as those passing on unofficial railway crossings.

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That amount increases 20 percent than last year when 68 accidents happened and caused casualties and injuries. The number is predicted would keep increasing due to citizen’s awareness in obeying traffic regulations still low.

“ There are two factors of accident, namely no railway crossing gates and motorists’ bad driving attitude. As a result, accident increasing ,” stated Head of PT Kereta Api Daop I, Agus Komarudin, Thursday (6/12).

Related to many railway crossings with no gates and sirens, Komarudin said it is the duty of Transportation Ministry, especially the Railway General Directorate as budget user to procure railway crossing gates and sirens.

“However, the budget cannot be used if there is no suggestion from Jakarta Provincial Government, or in this case Transportation Department. Thus, cross-sector cooperation is needed between those two government institutions,” he explained.

Komarudin hopes there would be good cooperation between Jakarta Provincial Government and Railway General Directorate in giving solution to reduce accident on railway crossings. Especially in official crossings, PT KAI has installed gates and sirens to regulate the traffic. Moreover, Jakarta Transportation Department also has equipped those crossings with traffic information system by installing guidance signs.

“Actually, in Law No. 22/2009 about Traffic and Land Transportation, other train trips must be prioritized over other vehicles. The rule is clear. Train must be prioritized. If anyone trespassed, they are absolutely wrong,” he asserted.