JAKARTA; State-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has earmarked more than Rp 2 trillion (US$120 million) to build a railway network in Bali, with construction expected to begin next year as the government seeks to ease chronic traffic congestion on the resort island.
The first phase will connect I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with the tourist district of Legian, while the second will extend the line from Legian to Canggu, another popular destination that has come under growing pressure from tourism-related traffic.
KAI president director Bobby Rasyidin announced the budget after meeting President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, saying the project would be developed in two phases over an estimated two-year period.
“We have conveyed that the budget for the Bali railway project is around Rp 2 trillion or more,” Bobby said on Friday, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
KAI had assessed several aspects of the project's implementation, including land acquisition, Bobby added.
The railway plan comes as Bali authorities seek to expand mass transportation options to address worsening congestion along the island’s main tourism corridors, particularly the route connecting the airport to Canggu.
In September, the Bali provincial administration, Badung regency administration and KAI signed an agreement to develop a battery-powered electric tram system along the airport-Canggu corridor, following proposals from the National Development Planning Ministry (Bappenas) and the provincial government.
The planned 12-kilometre tram line is intended to serve a corridor that sees daily mobility of up to 150,000 people and 80,000 vehicles.
Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said the project, dubbed the autonomous rail rapid transit (ART), would replace a planned mass rapid transit (MRT) system that broke ground in 2024 but failed to attract sufficient investor interest.
The budget plan had been presented by KAI and the funds for the project had been earmarked, Koster added.
The project is expected to support the tourism industry by improving connections between the airport, hotels, tourist attractions and other accommodation facilities, while taking into account the needs of local communities and the surrounding environment.
Bali residents and tourists have grappled with persistent traffic congestion for years, with authorities blaming narrow roads, illegal parking and a high volume of vehicles.
The island also lacks a comprehensive public transportation network, with services limited in some areas and slow or infrequent in others.
The railway project forms part of a broader push by the provincial government to expand mass transit and improve connectivity as rising tourist arrivals and economic activity put further pressure on the island’s transport network.
Other planned projects include the continuation of the Gilimanuk-Mengwi toll road and a water taxi service that would connect I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with Canggu by sea, which is currently under development. - Jakarta Post/ANN
