Improving Accessibility and Arranging Pondok Ranji Station to Maximize Services for Customers

To provide improved rail services, Pondok Ranji Station has now received accessibility upgrades and a layout rearrangement. The inauguration of Pondok Ranji Station's new face was held on Thursday (16/6).

Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir (second right) and Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi (second left) accompanied by the management of KAI and KAI Commuter during an inspection at Tanah Abang Station

This inauguration was carried out directly by Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi and Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, accompanied by KAI President Commissioner Said Aqil Siroj and President Director of PT Jaya Real Property Tbk (JRP) Trisna Muliadi.

To realize this breakthrough, which has been underway since August 10, 2020, KAI needed to collaborate with the Ministry of Transportation's Directorate General of Railways and PT JRP.
“This collaboration aims to contribute to society by improving train services," said KAI President Director Didiek Hartantyo.

Pondok Ranji Station now features wider and more comfortable access through the Bintaro Creative Village area. This can unravel traffic congestion because previously, Pondok Ranji Station could only be accessed via WR Supratman Street, which used to be a source of traffic jams in the morning and evening.

In this layout rearrangement, station building renovations, the addition of a parking building, and the construction of new access for Pondok Ranji Station were completed. The new access point has been equipped with escalator facilities, lifts, prayer room stairs, a lactation room, accessible toilets for people with disabilities, ticket counters, vending machines, a parking area, and an Intrans Bus stop.

"The new access of Pondok Ranji Station has been undergoing trials since June 7, 2022. An average of 370 Commuter Line (KRL) users per day have utilized this new access. KRL users feel highly assisted by the presence of this new Pondok Ranji Station access,” said Didiek.

In the old building section, building rejuvenation, rearrangement of commercial areas, rearrangement of parking areas, and rearrangement of the station gates were carried out. Now, KRL users can enjoy a wider station hall and a more organized parking area with increased capacity; not only that, the pedestrian walkway area is now equipped with a canopy.

To turn it into a public facility that is friendly for people with disabilities, several supporting facilities have been built, such as accessible toilets, priority lifts for people with disabilities, and tactile guiding blocks for the visually impaired.

"KAI will continue to provide the best service and develop its services to encourage the public to shift toward using safe and comfortable rail mass transportation," concluded Didiek.

Currently, the government is trying to improve public facility services thoroughly to reduce dependence on private vehicle usage. Furthermore, collaborations with the private sector continue to be pushed forward to realize mass transit with the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) concept.

Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir stated that upgrading public facilities in terms of accessibility and amenities is required to reduce dependence on private vehicle usage.

“It is impossible for SOE transformation to happen if there is no synergy from other ministries, from local governments, and certainly from the public themselves. We from the Ministry of SOEs alongside KAI continue to improve public facilities, both services and transportation infrastructure as a whole. Now, we are improving what is called residential facilities around train stations,” said Erick Thohir.

Pondok Ranji Station is a station serving the KRL route for Tanah Abang, Serpong, Parung Panjang, Maja, and Rangkasbitung, with an average daily passenger volume of 10,892 users per day during the pre-Covid-19 pandemic period and 6,237 users per day as of this June 2022.