Headline:
Commuters Object to Plan to Shut Down Karet Station, Calling it Inconvenient and Inefficient
Article:
Striking a chord with many commuters, the Indonesian government’s plan to close Closure of KRL Karet Station: The Reason Behind”>Karet Station has faced strong opposition. Users of the popular Commuter Line (KRL) service argue that the move is unjustified and will make life harder for Jakarta‘s working population.
Luke, a 27-year-old office worker, regularly commutes from Tanjung Barat Station to Karet Station, preferring the short 750-meter walk to his office over alternative stations. "There are countless workers in areas like Karet Tengsin, Mega Kuningan, and Sudirman who do the same," he said.
Luke expresses concern over the proposed alternatives. While Sudirman Baru BNI City Station exists, the distance to his office is over a kilometer, and adequate pedestrian paths are lacking. Switching to the JAK Lingko bus from Tebet Station could exacerbate crowding, he believes, and could still keep him locked in traffic jams from Kasablanka to Karet Tengsin.
Motorcycles present another option, but the risk of getting stuck in heavy traffic and safety concerns make it less appealing, according to Luke.
Similarly, Wibi Pangestu Pratama, another office worker, is skeptical about the closure. He questions the practicality of walking from Sudirman Baru BNI City Station to Karet Station, as suggested by PT KAI‘s Rudi As Aturridha, saying, "Maybe someone should try that walk once before suggesting it to others."
Both Luke and Wibi agree that Stasiun Karet primarily serves passengers in the Karet Tengsin, Mega Kuningan, and parts of Sudirman areas, with Sudirman Station catering to passengers near Sudirman and Thamrin. They argue that Sudirman Baru BNI City Station is a redundancy that overlaps with the existing stations.
They suggest that the government prioritize passenger-oriented policies and consider the clear preference of Commuter Line users for Karet and Sudirman over Sudirman Baru BNI City.
In January, Menteri BUMN Erick Thohir announced plans to close Stasiun Karet as part of efforts to optimize rail services. PT KAI‘s Rudi As Aturridha later explained that Karet Station is too close to Sudirman Baru BNI City Station and its closure is imminent with the new Ggrafik Perjalanan Kereta Api (Gapeka) 2025.
However, commuters disagree, stating that the closure will inconvenience them, and urge the government to reconsider this decision.
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