"They have agreed to extend loans worth Rp40 trillion for Trans Sumatra and Trans Sulawesi railway projects each," Director General of Railway at the Transportation Ministry Prasetyo Boeditjahjono said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - China has offered Rp80 trillion worth of loans to finance the construction of Trans Sulawesi and Trans Sumatra railway projects, a transportation ministry official said.

"They have agreed to extend loans worth Rp40 trillion for Trans Sumatra and Trans Sulawesi railway projects each," Director General of Railway at the Transportation Ministry Prasetyo Boeditjahjono informed here on Tuesday.

China is still considering the results of studies conducted by the ministry regarding the projects, he said.

"They will review the results of the studies conducted more than five years ago," he said.

He said a feasibility study of several segments of the projects was conducted, and detailed engineering designs of these projects have been completed.

The segment in respect of which detailed engineering designs have been completed included the Rantau Rapat-Duri-Duri-Pekan Baru section of Trans Sumatra railway, he said.

Hopefully, China will complete its study of the projects in less than one year, he said.

He said a Chinese delegation had approached the ministry to seek the results of studies on Trans Sulawesi and Trans Sumatra railways.

"I have promised to give them the results of the studies this month because they intend to consult with China Exim Bank," he said.

The documents are still with the secretariat of the directorate general of railway, he said.

"The documents included trace data at the directorate of traffic and detailed engineering design at the directorate of infrastructure. It takes us time and I have pledged to give them these this very month," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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