Government allocates Rp9 trln to renew old railway tracks

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The government has allocated Rp9 trillion to renew worn-out railway tracks, Transportation Minister Hatta Rajasa said here Thursday.

"The government will repair old railway tracks, rails and railway bridge," he said after attending a meeting of Indonesia's second largest Islamic movement the Muhammadiyah.

Most of wooden rails were no longer in good condition as they were set up in Dutch colonialism, he said.

The minister attributed railway accidents in many factors.

"Heavy downpour and landslide were the cause of derailment of carriages of Serayu train in Garut district in West Java last week," he said.

Yet other railway accidents were mostly triggered by worn-out railway tracks and rails, Hatta said.

Renewing railway tracks, rails and railway bridge will take time as damage has been found in many railway tracks, he said.

"Railway bridges which were made during Dutch colonialism will not be removed but renewed," he said.

Hatta was one of some ministers who observed the Muhammadiyah meeting.