Rail services in South Sulawesi are expected to improve transport connectivity and boost the economy. Stock photo of a commuter train in Indonesia. Photo credit: ADB.
On 29 March, an 80-kilometer railway line between Maros to Barru districts in South Sulawesi was inaugurated by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. This is part of the long-awaited Makassar–Parepare Railway, the first in Sulawesi, an Indonesian island east of Borneo and the world's 11th-largest island.
The railway system will have a total length of 145 kilometers, connect two major port cities, and serve five districts (Makassar, Parepare, Barru, Pangkep, and Maros) in South Sulawesi province. It is a priority infrastructure project of the BIMP-EAGA program, which seeks to strengthen regional connectivity to facilitate the movement of people, goods, and services, and raise the quality of life of local communities.
Makassar–Parepare is the first phase of the Trans Sulawesi Railway, which will connect two provincial capital cities, Makassar on the southern tip of the island and Manado in North Sulawesi. It is estimated to cut travel time between Makassar and Parepare by half to about 1.5 hours and will help decongest local roads. It is expected to create more business opportunities and jobs, attract more investments, support tourism development, and boost the local and national economy.
The railway project is funded partially by sukuk (Islamic debt securities), which is a common instrument for railway financing in Indonesia.
Tourism potential
Trial runs on the completed railway route from Maros Station in Maros Regency to Garongkong Station in Barru Regency were conducted late last year. Free rides on so-called tourist trains were offered to the public before the official launch in March this year.
In an ANTARA news report, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi talked about plans of operating the tourist trains regularly, the first such service outside Java and Sumatra, to develop South Sulawesi’s tourist attractions.
Among the destinations being promoted along the route is Ramang-Ramang village in Maros, which offers panoramic views of the karst landscape of the Maros–Pangkep UNESCO Global Geopark. This and two other attractions, Leang Leang Archaeology Park and Toakala Lake, are accessible via the Ramang-Ramang station.
A new freight corridor
The Makassar–Parepare Railway project is also expected to open a new freight corridor for such commodities as seaweed, rice, and cement.
However, much still needs to be done to make this a reality. A study conducted by the Partnership for Australia-Indonesia Research says intermodal facilities along the route have to be improved.
“The location of intermodals will be critical in determining the effectiveness of the railway as a freight corridor, ideally allowing for easy transfer of goods and materials from trucks to trains and the smooth movement of cement, seaweed and rice,” the researchers say. They note that there is “strong interest among potential passengers, but substantially less demand among freight movers who are interested only if rail is the cheaper option.”
The researchers also identify areas for further study, including hazards, pricing, intermodal freight, connectivity, and city planning.