President Jokowi Inaugurates First Trans Sulawesi Railway

VIVA – The first Trans Sulawesi Railway on the Makassar-Parepare route across Maros Garongkong has inaugurated on Wednesday, directly by the Indonesian President Joko Widodo. The project is one of the national strategic projects. President also emphasized the importance of public transportation as a basic need for the public.

"The development of mass transportation that can connect Indonesia's provinces, regencies, and cities is very important. Although there are delays, this also happens in almost all major cities." President Jokowi said in his remarks, at the inaugurated event.

Moreover, he encouraged and appreciated the construction of the Makassar-Parepare railway line which is part of the Trans Sulawesi Railway development. The President hopes that the Trans Sulawesi Railway project will connect the regions on the island.

"I am very happy and appreciate what we have started, the Trans Sulawesi railway line which will be connected from Makassar to the north in North Sulawesi in Manado," he remarked.

The President also hopes that this railway line will not only be a transportation option for the public but also can reduce logistics costs which can at the same time increase the competitiveness of South Sulawesi and Indonesia.

"If there are many trains later, and there are for passengers, for tourism, for goods, this will provide competitiveness of our country will be better because goods are transported by cheap means of transportation," he said.

As information, the Trans Sulawesi Railway is a railway network on Sulawesi Island. The first phase includes a 146-kilometer route from Makassar to Parepare. The total planned railway line will reach 2,000 kilometers stretching from Makassar to Manado. Most of the other sections are still under construction.