REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Minister for State Enterprises Rini Soemarno said Jakarta-Bandung speed train project is expected to be completed in October, 2020. The new target could be achieved if construction of the track began in February, 2018.

"We are still hopeful it would be completed in 32 months. Now land clearing already in process in Halim Perdana Kusuma, East Jakarta," Rini said here on Monday.

Development of the speed train project would not be completed in 2019 as originally expected on a number of factors including land clearing. "Construction has been delayed as land clearing has also been delayed. Approval has yet to be secured from the Forestry Ministry for land clearing," Rini added.

So far, land clearing has been finished only for 55 kilometers of the track.

President Joko Widodo (left) and Chinese People's Republic of China President Xi Jinping (second right) witnessed the signing of a facilitation agreement amounted to 4.498 billion US dollars for the Jakarta-Bandung speed train project at Great Hall of the People Building, Beijing, China, Sunday (May 14, 2017).

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan has said the government is considering extending the Jakarta-Bandung track to link Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta airport, in Banten and the West Java's Kertajati international airport to be built in the regency of Majalengka.

The track would be 80 kilometers longer at more than 200 kilometers from the original plan of 142.3 kilometers, Luhut said.

Rini said she hoped US$500 million for the project would be available from China Development Bank (CDB) in March, 2018. The loan fund is part of US$5.9 billion loan approved by CDB.

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