KAI Accelerates Level Crossing Improvements to Strengthen Safety
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) continues to accelerate the improvement of level crossings in collaboration with local governments and stakeholders across various regions. These efforts are aimed at strengthening railway operational safety while enhancing road user safety at intersections between railway tracks and roads.
During the period from 27 April to 12 May 2026, KAI and its stakeholders closed 20 level crossings and narrowed 7 crossings across several operational regions and regional divisions.
The improvements were carried out in Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and South Sumatra, primarily targeting illegal crossings, unauthorized access points, and locations with high safety risks.
In addition to closing and narrowing crossings, KAI is gradually improving safety at 1,638 level crossings through the installation of safety facilities, enhanced crossing supervision, strengthened operational monitoring, and cross-agency coordination to reinforce railway operational safety and road user protection.
One of the ongoing safety improvement projects is located in the Ampera area near Bekasi Timur Station. At this location, KAI has installed a new level crossing gate, which is currently undergoing final adjustments and operational testing as part of efforts to enhance railway and road user safety.
KAI Vice President of Corporate Communication Anne Purba stated that accelerating level crossing improvements has become an important part of strengthening a risk-based transportation safety system.
"Level crossings are points where train operations and public road traffic intersect at the same time. Therefore, improvements must be carried out more quickly, systematically, and in an integrated manner so that safety conditions in the field continue to improve," said Anne.
While improvements to the facilities in the Ampera area are being completed, railway operations continue to be safeguarded using the existing crossing gate, which remains in operation. Temporary safety measures are also supported by community initiatives while awaiting the construction of a guard post and the deployment of official crossing personnel.
According to Anne, collaboration in the field plays an essential role in maintaining safety throughout the facility improvement process. The presence of safety facilities must also be accompanied by greater discipline from road users when crossing railway tracks.
"We encourage the public to be more disciplined when crossing level crossings by not forcing their way through closed crossing gates, stopping briefly, looking both ways, and ensuring it is safe before continuing their journey," Anne explained.
Based on data for the first quarter of 2026, Indonesia has 3,888 level crossings. Of these, 2,112 crossings are currently staffed, while the remaining 1,776 are unguarded.
"Among the guarded level crossings, management responsibilities are shared by various parties. KAI currently manages 977 crossings, representing approximately 46 percent of all guarded crossings. Local governments, through provincial and regency/city transportation agencies, manage 680 crossings, or around 32 percent. In addition, 417 crossings are guarded through community self-help initiatives, while 38 crossings are managed by private entities," Anne explained.
As for the unguarded crossings, the distribution spans various road classifications, with 3 crossings located on national roads, 4 on provincial roads, 415 on regency/city roads, and 1,354 on sub-district, village, neighborhood, and other local access roads.
According to Anne, this distribution demonstrates that improving level crossing safety requires cross-institutional collaboration, as management authority follows the classification of roads under the responsibility of the central government, provincial governments, and regency or city governments.
Existing regulations stipulate that the management and safety evaluation of level crossings based on road classification fall under the authority of the Minister of Public Works for national roads, governors for provincial roads, and regents or mayors for regency/city and village roads.
Accordingly, KAI has also submitted requests to several local governments for delegated authority over the management and safety enhancement of level crossings so that improvements in the field can be implemented more effectively and progressively.
In addition to physical improvements, KAI currently deploys personnel at 977 level crossings, supported by 3,908 Level Crossing Guards (PJL) who work around the clock in shifts. These personnel undergo regular training and competency certification to ensure optimal protection of railway operations.
Indonesia currently has 3,674 level crossings, with 1,810 identified as priorities for improvement. Of these, 172 crossings are targeted for closure due to limited road conditions, while the remaining 1,638 require phased upgrades to their safety facilities.
From a technical perspective, trains require a considerable safe braking distance. At a speed of 120 kilometers per hour, the ideal braking distance ranges from 800 to 1,200 meters. Therefore, ensuring that railway tracks are completely clear before a train passes is a critical factor in maintaining operational safety.
"Railway operational safety requires consistent efforts in the field. The sooner high-risk locations are identified, improved, and jointly safeguarded, the greater the level of safety that can be created for the public," Anne concluded.
VP Corporate Communication KAI