Minister hopes freight line to be completed within two months

Jakarta, Sept 11 (Antara) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli has asked related parties to complete the construction of a freight train line connecting the Pasoso station with Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta in two months. "The freight train line must be completed within two months," the minister said here on Thursday. He said the reopening of the freight train track, which was closed in 1998, is expected to create efficiency in the logistic system in the port. "If the railway line is reopened, there will be efficiency in the port's operation, reducing dwelling time, accidents and improving road traffic," Ramli said. The freight train line to the port, according to him, will cut a third of congestion at the port. This can reduce dwelling time in the port currently at 7-8 days, to 2.5 days. Director of the Indonesian Railway Company Edy Sukmoro said currently, the freight train only stops at Pasoso station and is not connected to Koja Container Terminal at Tanjung Priok port. According to him, building a freight train line up to the port is not difficult. It just needs to connect with Pasoso station which is only 1.2 kilometers away from the port. "It is not far, and we will work hard to solve it," he said. He hopes at the beginning of next year the freight train service can be operated. "We hope in February or March 2016 the freight train can be operated," he said.