Semut Railway Station in Surabaya

With very disappointed and concerned feeling to see the last condition of Semut Railway Station which have not maintained again. History story that accompany it, would annihilate. In all of state, the historic places are always looked after carefully, museum become the crowded place to be visited.

Semut Railway Station is a culture pledge which its age is more than 100 years. Semut Railway Station is surely recognized in each and everyone who lived in Surabaya, even if Perumka now unable to animate as train business place.

Even matt and ancient impression is hardly seen at front face from the station that is also known as Surabaya Kota Station. The foray news of this ancient station interior show, how not care of this nation with its valuable omission.

The unloading to be made shops is a real reason simple, merely to fulfill the desire to get the money quickly. Even if not be seen from front of it face, but the unloading only leave over block rest of stone wall which is have not toppled, a number of door and matt pepper and salt cushion in frontage and station back.

Door and window frame in the building have gone, a number of roof rooms is nor. And so do the platform roof is remaining it iron framework. Even a door handle has disappeared. Only lag one of door handle in one of station back door.

Semut Railway Station, which become one of workload center in Surabaya city and part of the journey length history of Surabaya city now likely naked. Would far more valuably if this station is made become a museum "lived" to show it past properties, and maintain tending to stripper trains sold as scrap.

The constitution number 5 in 1992 about Cultural pledge goods and Lord Mayor Decree Letter (SK) Number 188.45/251/402.1.04/1996 no longer has bothered. The condition of this station has been unloaded. Though this culture pledge building seen steady, nicely and rareness. Like station zinc roof which have been taken. Marbles that decorating a half of its wall along the length of approximant 150 meters in station backside is picked so it show its stucco only.

Dutch epoch teak woods, which still very worth, had lost. The antique door handles in door of the door backsides also do not miss falling as a victim. Based on the constitution dated 6 April 1875 Staatsblad Number 141 the Government of Dutch Indies set mind to built train line network in Java with expense of government and called staats spoorweg (SS).

In 1875 it started begin to develop the train line of Surabaya - Pasuruan and Surabaya - Malang. Surabaya city Station, which located in important business area, is made as the guidance for second start line. Spoorstation Semoet or Semut Railway Station opened by The Excellency Governor General JW VAN LASBERGE in 1878, just with open of line Surabaya-Pasuruan.

Line of Surabaya - Pasuruan at that moment is assumed of vital importance; cause in Umbulan, Pasuruan there is a real big source of water to fulfill the resident cleanness amount of water-required Surabaya and its surroundings. The water stock from Umbulan to Surabaya is transported by applied a train.

During that period, Semut Railway Station is one of two famous stations in Surabaya city formerly. The other station is Pasar Turi Station. This station is part of south line serving route Surabaya - Solo - Yogyakarta, Tasikmalaya, Bandung, and Jakarta.

At that time, Jakarta - Surabaya line still gone through a journey during three days. When the night arrived, the train desists and the passenger lodge in hotels to continue it journey in the next day. Don't know how any man who have been come and go from the station.

Surabaya city at the epoch can be conceived as the train city because it has four big stations, namely Wonokromo, Gubeng, Pasar Turi, and Semut, which now it increasingly chance ill defined. It very regret that Surabaya city have not a Train Museum. Even, a historic Semut Railway Station building now threatened crumpled.

"Even, big towns in modern Germany and Roma are in its development not then run over the ancient building which they have. So if pay a visit the visitor still can enjoy debris rest of Romanic Kingdom omissions over there which only pillars or debris that taken care of carefully. And so do Malaysia that taking care of it omission building in British colony period over there carefully.

Besides, the historic building contained of education element. It can become a life laboratory for generation hereinafter in studying matters, start from the physical of building so it history value. Back part of it, keeping to the building will give a profit from the tourism aspect.

For town station case for example, can be done an adaptation. Seen front or building face doesn't change, but interior can adapt with the requirement. Addition of the building can be done by accommodating the design with the stripper building. Ibis Hotel for example, can become a good example in Surabaya.

In the friendly development effort to pledge cultural building, told by Timoticin, Surabaya still be lag compared to Jakarta which also rich of culture pledge building.

For example is the dockyard culture pledge building adaptation Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) in Kakap Street, north Jakarta, become a luxuriant restaurant that has crowded to visit.

For a while, Perumka (The Train Departments) decide to delay the warehouse unloading. But, that have not meant will save the historic sites. It needs the morale responsibility to maintain the building, which ever become part of Surabaya city writhing.

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