Transport remains national development priority: minister

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, has emphasized that the government is continuing to focus on infrastructure development, particularly in the transportation sector.

“Infrastructure, especially transportation, is one of the main priorities in national development,” he said here while opening the 2025 Indonesia Railway Conference on Tuesday.

Held at Jiexpo Kemayoran, the conference was themed “Railway Transformation for Innovation and Sustainable Development.”

Yudhoyono said that transportation plays a vital role in driving economic growth, regional development, and environmental sustainability. Therefore, the sector has become a top priority in national development.

Indonesia continues to invest in building stronger connectivity across regions, from Sumatra to Papua, he added.

This is aimed at supporting or accelerating the movement of goods and people, as well as equitable and inclusive growth across the archipelago.

Yudhoyono further said that the railway and maritime sectors are not only strategic but also essential for building a low-emission, efficient, affordable, and sustainable transportation system.

For example, when road networks face increasing congestion and limitations, rail transport offers a clear competitive advantage.

Moreover, advances in technology have made rail systems faster, safer, more energy-efficient, and more sustainable.

On the occasion, Yudhoyono highlighted three main strengths of the railway sector compared to other modes of transportation.

First, capacity and on-time performance. A single freight train can carry a load equivalent to 300 trucks. Meanwhile, passenger trains can transport more than one thousand people.

Second, trains are much more fuel-efficient, capable of traveling about 200 kilometers on a liter of fuel, while trucks average just 57 kilometers per liter.

“Lastly, trains are more environmentally friendly, particularly in terms of the carbon emissions they produce,” he stated.