The pantograph rises slowly, accompanied by the current sound of the catenary, the comprehensive detection train of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed Railway is lit up instantly, and the headlights are shining dazzling. Workers at the site and nearby villagers pulled out their mobile phones to take photos with the train. The Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Rail (HSR) recently carried out a hot slip test on the overhead contact line (OCS) at De Karur station, the terminus of the railway, marking the first time that the Jakarta-Bandung comprehensive detection train made its debut on the HSR line.

Thanks to the personal promotion of the heads of state of China and Indonesia, the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed Railway has continued to advance and made significant progress. As a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Indonesia, the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed Railway is a testament to the rich connotations of building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future.

Will become part of international connectivity

With a total length of 142 kilometers and a maximum operating speed of 350 kilometers per hour, the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is the first time that the entire system, elements and industrial chain of China's high-speed railway has been launched overseas. When completed, travel time from Jakarta to Bandung will be reduced from more than three hours now to 40 minutes.

In 2016, the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed Rail project was officially launched. At present, all 13 tunnels and 58 Bridges of the Jakara-Bandung high-speed Railway have been connected, the main line has begun to lay track, and 14 kilometers are ready for online testing. Preparations for operation are underway in an orderly way.

During the construction process, President Joko Widodo visited the construction site several times to inspect the construction of the high-speed railway. During his visit to the DeKarur station in October, President Joko Widodo said that the construction of the Jakarto-Bandung high-speed railway is progressing smoothly on the whole, which reflects the sound cooperation between Indonesia and China. "By integrating with seaports or airports, the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway will become part of international connectivity."

Java Island, where the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is located, is prone to earthquakes and volcanoes, while Bandung is located in the regional subsidence section. Along the line, there is abundant rainfall, complicated climate, ravines and valleys, and complex rock formations, making construction quite difficult. The first thing you see when you walk into Tunnel No. 2 in Puwajada County, West Java province, is a tangle of support beams at the entrance. The ground is covered with mud mixed with rain from the mountain top.

This is one of the most difficult control projects in the whole line. Xin Xuezhong, head of a contractor consortium led by China Railway International Co., LTD., said the tunnel's geological conditions are special. The area of the tunnel is mostly expansive mudstone, which cracks and disintegrates quickly when exposed to air. Therefore, it is easy to lead to slip collapse during excavation, which increases the risk of construction safety. At the scene, the reporter grabbed a piece of mudstone and rubbed it with his fingers, turning it into powder.

In view of the complex hydrogeology and construction difficulties, the construction company, the 7th Bureau of Hydropower Engineering of Power China Construction Group, innovatedtechnological methods to solve the technical problems caused by large deformation, collapse and mud pouring of the tunnel. The 1,052-meter-long tunnel was officially opened in August 2022. The completion of this important engineering node marks a breakthrough in all the major and difficult projects of the entire line of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed Railway, laying a solid foundation for achieving the overall schedule target of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed Railway.

In July 2022, the Jakarban-Bandung high-speed Railway started to lay track on the main track, and the CPG500 ballasted track laying machine, which is well-known in China as a "magic tool for laying track", was unveiled in Indonesia. During construction, the ballasted rail laying machine can directly lay 500 meters long and 30 tons of steel rails. As the rail laying machine passes by, a 360kg sleeper is precisely arranged under the rail. Sleepers are spaced 60 centimeters apart, and 1,667 sleepers can be laid per kilometer, and 1.5 kilometers of high-speed rail track can be laid in one day.

Speaking at the scene, Indonesia's Transport Minister Budi said he was impressed by the technology. "This is the first time that such transportation technology has been used in Southeast Asia, and I am proud and grateful that Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Rail uses high-tech paved tracks."

To promote economic development of the Belt and Road regions

Putra stands in front of a bullet train at DeKarur station, holding up his mobile phone to take a selfie. "I used to see China's high-speed trains on TV, but this is the first time I've seen them in person." Putra, a ladder truck driver on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project, lives in Jakarta and returns home only once a month. "When the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway opens, it will be convenient for me to go home."

Due to various factors, Indonesia's transportation infrastructure construction gap is large. Jakarta and Bandung are not far from each other, but road traffic is so congested that driving takes more than three hours, often more than five hours during holidays.

"The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway will significantly facilitate the movement of people, goods and services along the railway. The high-speed rail line, which passes through nine counties and cities, will form new business districts around the stations and drive the economic development of the regions along the line, "he said. Hrawan, director of the economics department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the rail link will help accelerate Indonesia's economic development strategy.

As an important part of Indonesia's modern public transport system, the Jakarbandung high-speed railway has been listed as a national strategic construction project and will have a positive impact on the economy, society and people's well-being in a sustainable way, said Luhut, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment.

During the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, trust between the two sides has been growing. Han Gaolu, the first chairman of the Indonesia-China High-speed Railway Co., LTD., said that when the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed Railway is mentioned, the local people will associate with the speed of Indonesia's development and feel close to the Chinese government and people who have supported Indonesia. He is heartened by the continued progress of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail link, which is hotly debated in Indonesia to link the entire island of Java in the future.

It is a high-speed rail route to growth and prosperity. According to Han, the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project has not only brought much-needed external investment to Indonesia, but also cultivated a number of local technical and management talents, and promoted the rapid development of related industries in Indonesia's infrastructure construction field.

In the rail distribution workshop of Bandung rail welding Base, Adi is removing the rust of the rail. After strict technical training, the farmer has mastered the pre-welding inspection, rust removal, lifting and other techniques, and can work independently. Nirwan, head of Sukardaya village near the construction site of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project, said more than 300 villagers have found jobs on the project since its launch. Many of them have mastered skills such as concrete mixing, excavator driving, electric welding and electrician, and have also obtained vocational qualifications such as electric welding and electrician. "By learning the skills, the villagers have a foothold."

It is a project of the people of our two countries

Sibiru Mountain is a small village in Bandung, next to the construction site of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project. Asep, a villager, runs a snack bar with a dozen dishes neatly arranged in a glass counter. It was noon, and workers from the construction site came here to eat. Asep was busy, greeting his guests warmly.

Asep didn't have time to talk to reporters until three hours later. "My snack bar has been open for a few years and business has been flat. After the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway started construction, the high-speed railway came to my doorstep and brought a steady flow of customers to my shop."

With the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project progressing steadily, Asep also has new plans. "After the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway opens, with the development of tourism along the line, it will attract more tourists. Some big companies may also set up factories here, and there will be more guests. I also plan to expand the scale of the hotel."

Sibiru Mountain is one of many villages near the construction site of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project. The villagers make a living mainly by farming, while most of the young and middle-aged people in the village make a living by doing odd jobs. The construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway has brought many job opportunities to the nearby villagers.

Mr. Imacher, whose home is in one of the villages along the route, is now a track worker on the project. "It's close to home and the pay is good. Many people in the village have made money and started to build their houses. After the high-speed railway is connected, more enterprises will come here and bring more jobs to the villagers."

Zhang Chao, executive director of Indonesia-China High-speed Railway Co., LTD., said the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed Railway has promoted exchanges between Chinese enterprises and local people, and enhanced mutual understanding between the two peoples. People-to-people connection is the foundation of the five links, the most basic and lasting connectivity, and will further promote future cooperation between the two countries.

At present, the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Indonesia has entered an important harvest period and opened a new stage of high-quality development. The two sides are working closely to ensure that the flagship Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project is completed on schedule. "The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is a symbol of the friendship between Indonesia and China and a source of common pride for the two peoples," he said. Says Lini Sumarno, a former minister of state-owned enterprises. Editor/He Yuting