Workers check electricity system in a trial section of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway,in Bandung,Indonesia,on November 5 2022. Photo: Xinhua

The testing section of the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway in Indonesia, a landmark project under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is ready for a trial operation of the electric multiple unit (EMU) system following the successful installation and commissioning of its traction substation and other equipment on Saturday, China Media Group said on Sunday. 

Experts said the successful installation and commissioning marks a significant milestone for the BRI project, as it means the trains are now electrified and will be able to actually run. 

The testing section, 14 kilometers in length, is located between Tegalluar Station and Casting Yard No 4, with trial operation of the EMU system expected in mid-November.

The trial will be followed by a comprehensive testing operation incorporating all aspects of the project such as the tracks, trains, signals and other components, Sun Zhang, a railway expert at Shanghai Tongji University, told the Global Times on Sunday, noting that the relevant signal control system and testing trains have been exported to Indonesia by China.  

Sun added that as the first high-speed rail system in Southeast Asia, the project will promote the development of the RCEP and strengthen the cooperation and connection of the surrounding regions. 

The report from the China Media Group added that the testing section connected with electricity will test electrical engineering work including communication, signal, power supply, and traction power supply at the same time. 

The high-speed railway's electricity system was designed in accordance with China's technological standards, with key equipment all manufactured by Chinese enterprises. 

The 142-km Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway has been built using Chinese technology, and it will shorten the journey between Jakarta and Bandung, the capital of Indonesia's West Java province, from more than three hours to around 40 minutes with a designed speed of 350 kilometers per hour.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited the construction site of the Tegalluar station of the Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway on October 13, saying that the construction achievements will be presented to the world during the upcoming G20 Bali Summit, which will further demonstrate the good cooperation between the Indonesian and Chinese governments.

The erection task of all box girders along the Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway was completed on October 16, meaning the track-laying channel has fully opened, laying a solid foundation for the completion of the railway, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Global Times