Widodo said the 600-capacity train was the first high-speed rail transportation in Southeast Asia.
It is part of Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative – a decade-old programme of China-backed infrastructure projects.
The president said the name was actually an acronym, standing for a tagline of “Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Sistem Handal” – which in Bahasa Indonesia means “Saving time, optimal operation, reliable system”.
It was built by PT KCIC, which is made up of four Indonesian state companies and Beijing’s China Railway International Co.
The project was initially set to cost less than US$5 billion and be completed by 2019.
However, delays caused by construction challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in costs.
In preparation for its opening, officials have conducted public trials for the new high-speed route.
Source: CNA
