Twitter buzz as Bekasi Station’s escalator downtime hits 100 Days

WEST JAVA, INDONESIA: A significant conversation has emerged on Twitter surrounding the damaged escalator at Bekasi Station, which has remained unrepaired for 100 days.

Transport For Jakarta, through its Twitter accounts on Wednesday (31 Jan), posted a tweet marking the significant milestone with the caption, “Exactly 100 days since the escalator at Bekasi station stopped.”

Tepat 100 hari eskalator di stasiun bekasi berhenti 😢

Sumber: peserta doa bersama pic.twitter.com/fUmEywRsBc

— Transport for Jakarta (@TfJakarta) January 31, 2024

The tweet featured an image that captured a flower board with a message expressing condolences for the “death” of the Bekasi station escalator.

Additionally, there was a depiction of a cardboard grave with the inscription “RIP Bekasi station escalator” on the tombstone.

Since the tweet was shared on Wednesday (31 Jan), it has garnered immense attention, amassing over 1 million views and being shared more than 8.7 thousand times by Twitter users.

The meticulous tracking of the escalator’s downtime was diligently performed by user pernebangroket on her Twitter page.

She consistently provided daily updates on the Bekasi escalator, highlighting the fact that it had remained unrepaired even as it reached its hundredth day.

Recent updates from other commuterline users though their Twitter indicate that the escalator remains inoperative as of the 102nd day (2 Feb).

Day 102, plang kuningnya ada temennya
. Yeayy.. cc: @PernebangRoket pic.twitter.com/Q3xeKb8BtO

— bubud (@rnamidubx) February 2, 2024

Netizens react with humor and concern as Bekasi Station’s escalator woes continue

Netizens have taken to commenting on the prolonged issue with the nonfunctional escalator at Bekasi Station, infusing their remarks with humor and satire.

One user, adopting a jesting tone, expressed the hope that other escalators gain courage and strength in their operations, employing a greeting typically used when someone passes away.

In a similar light-hearted vein, another user shared a perspective, humorously suggesting that whenever one feels life is meaningless, they should remember the stalled escalator in Bekasi.

Taking a more satirical approach, another commenter speculated on the escalator repairs, claiming they were currently at the tender auction stage and sarcastically predicting it would only be operational in another 5 years.

Amidst the jest, a user expressed genuine concern, highlighting the challenging nature of the situation.

This user emphasized that the stairs at Bekasi Station are notably high and steep, expressing worry for pregnant women and the elderly who have to navigate the stairs, highlighting the potential inconvenience and difficulty they may face.

KAI Commuter addresses Bekasi Station escalator issue

In response to Transport for Jakarta’s tweet, Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI Commuter) addressed the issue on their Twitter account (31 Jan) by stating their ongoing coordination with the Directorate General of Railways.

They mentioned, “Regarding the problems with the escalator at the north entrance of Bekasi Station, we are currently continuing to coordinate with the Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) to improve efforts.”

To mitigate the inconvenience for commuterline passengers, KAI Commuter advised, “Please use other access routes such as manual stairs and lifts which are operating while the escalators are under repair.”

In a concluding note, KAI Commuter expressed their apologies to users for any inconvenience caused by the broken escalator.

Selamat malam. Perihal kendala eskalator di pintu utara Stasiun Bekasi saat ini kami terus berkoordinasi dengan DJKA (Direktorat Jenderal Perkeretaapian) @perkeretaapian untuk upaya perbaikan. Bagi penumpang Commuterline silakan dapat melewati akses jalur lain seperti tangga…

— KAI Commuter (@CommuterLine) January 31, 2024

DJKA apologizes and takes action for Bekasi Station escalator issues

The Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) within the Ministry of Transportation has issued an apology for the inconvenience faced by passengers of the KRL Commuterline (Electric Rail Train) at Bekasi Station.

The disruption was attributed to issues with supporting facilities, specifically the escalators.

Ferdian Suryo, the Head of Jakarta Hall at the Directorate General of Railways, Ministry of Transportation, provided details regarding the situation.

He mentioned that Bekasi Station is equipped with 12 escalator units intended to enhance passenger services.

Currently, repairs are underway for two escalators situated on the north side of platforms 3 and 4, as well as the north side exit.

Meanwhile, the remaining escalator units are reported to be functioning normally.

Ferdian acknowledged that the repair process is time-consuming.

The delay is primarily due to the importation of spare parts required for the escalators, adding to the complexity of the restoration process.

“This means that the repair process cannot be carried out more quickly,” said Ferdian in a statement on Thursday (1 Feb).

Ferdian further elaborated that efforts are being made to expedite the repair process, with the goal of completion by mid-February 2024.

This commitment aims to ensure the prompt reactivation of the escalators, thereby enhancing overall passenger comfort.

Highlighting the collaborative approach, Ferdian emphasized that DJKA is dedicated to working closely with relevant stakeholders.

The objective is to guarantee the seamless operation of all facilities and enhance services for train passengers, specifically those utilizing the KRL Commuterline services.