DENPASAR ~

Head of the Department of Transportation, Infor-mation and Communication province of Bali Ketut Artika said local governments have a discussion to build rail transportation around Bali.

“It is true that Bali has a discussion about building rail transport in an effort to facilitate the activities of the community as well as tourists who will visit the objects in regencies,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting with members of Commission III of DPRD (Parliament) Bali, Denpasar, on Tuesday.

He said that such kind of transportation is more efficient and able to carry more passengers. However, the current plan has been proposed to the central government to be followed with a feasibility study.

“We think that this mode of transport will be able to break the bottleneck that each year continues to increase. Therefore, we expect a plan that would be realized in the future,” he said.

However, efforts to overcome the current congestion, said Artika, by socialization to public in order to use public transport, namely Trans Sarbagita (Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar and Tabanan) bus.

“Since Trans Sarbagita has been operated three years ago, the number of passengers from the corridor I, from urban centers to campus Udayana Denpasar to Jimbaran to Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) is up and down, as well as corridor II (Batubulan-Nusa Dua),” he said.

He said that more people who work passing by the bus stop has already use of public transport. Therefore the government continues to conduct research and evaluation related to the presence of the bus.

“At bus stop one there are 12 units of total 15 vehicles needed. While in the corridor II there are 15 units from 18 units needed. Therefore, we still lack of the vehicle,” he said.

Therefore, Artika said, it has been conveyed to the central government so that the vehicle can be realized next year.

“We have said about the shortage of public transport. But before that we need to assess and prepare operational funds from the budget. If possible we will get the vehicle,” he said.