REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PALANGKA RAYA -- The groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of work in a railway project in Central Kalimantan is expected to take place after the visit to China of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) later this month.

Originally the ground breaking ceremony was to be held in March but it was rescheduled because of the planned visit to China by the president, Central Kalimantan Governor Agustin Teras Narang said here on Tuesday (11/3).

The governor said hopefully the ground breaking ceremony would be held not later than April 2015.

He said he had met with the chief of the presidential staff to convey progress made in the preparation for the construction of the rail track extending 425 kilometers between Puruk Cahu and Bangkuang in the province.

He said his meeting with the chief of the presidential staff covered his request that guarantee from the central government is needed for the project.

The central government needs to guarantee that no rail track is to be built in area already having rail tracks and that no policy would stop implementation of the project after work is already underway, he said.

The guarantee must be given by the president, the finance minister and the transport minister , he added.

Earlier, head of the provincial office of the communications and informatics ministry Muhammad Hatta said the provincial administration and the consortium awarded the project wanted to finish all project preparations as soon as possible.

The project will also include a port and other supporting facilities like tunnel, bridges, communications systems and maintenance facility, Hatta said.

The consortium PT Perkeretaapian Tambun Bungai will also be in charge of the procurement of locomotives and coaches and build office buildings, terminal n depot and loading unloading facility, and coal piling up square.

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