Kotabaru to Build a Railroad

By Imam Hanafi

Kotabaru, South Kalimantan (Antaranews) - Kotabaru District Government plans to build a railroad around the Pulaulaut Kotabaru to open up isolated areas.

"With the railway, transport costs will be cheaper and the flow of passengers and goods will go more smoothly," said Head of the Kotabaru Transportation Agency Sugian Noor here on Wednesday .

Sugian explained, the government is currently building a railroad linking East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and South Kalimantan.

There is a discourse, he said, the government open the railway lines from East Kalimantan to Banjarmasin across Tabalong District , Hulu Sungai heading south until Banjarmasin.

According to him, the ideal network from East Kalimantan acrossing Paser District, Kotabaru, Batulicin, Tanah Laut and Banjarmasin. "Because the more densely settled areas in the southeastern region in Kotabaru  rather than Tabalong," said Sugian.

He said Kotabaru has many industries, such as palm oil mill, coal and other industries likely to be built in Kotabaru and surrounding areas. While ports for passengers and goods are many in Kotabaru and Batulicin, then it can support the existence of rail transportation.

Meanwhile , specific to itinerant railroad Pulaulaut , still waiting for the realization of the government or investors to build a bridge or tunnel connecting the mainland Borneo to Pulaulaut.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the APEC event in Bali some time ago Russian businessmen desire to build an alternative transportation route in East Kalimantan in the form of railway lines and has been agreed.