Indonesia announced yesterday that it has offered a railway project in Bali to Chinese investors.
“We have proposed several projects, including the development of railways in Bali,” said Antara Luhut Panjaitan, coordinating minister for maritime affairs, during a visit to Beijing.
The railway was to attach Denpasar with Ubud in Gianyar Regency and Singaraja in Buleleng Regency. Tourists are expected to travel by rail from densely populated Denpasar to each regencies.
“So far, tourists are concentrated in Nusa Dua in Badung Regency and Denpasar. So [with the railway] later they will spread to the northern part of the island,” he said.
He said construction is predicted to start out in 2018 after the feasibility study of the project is accomplished by Udayana University in collaboration with the World Bank.
Bali has been battling traffic congestion at various levels for a very long time. The plan to develop Bali’s first railway line has the potential to be a game-changer for the island’s public transport scene (in addition to the road traffic scene); hoping to realize this and develop in the most effective possible direction.
Source: The Jakarta Post | Baliradio.net
