Development of Gresik – Mojokerto Railway Infrastructure to Accelerate Economic Growth in Gerbangkertosusila

Abstract

Abstract The most important economic area in East Java is the Gerbangkertosusila (GKS) area. The GKS area between Gresik – Mojokerto is not yet connected directly, almost all goods have to go through Surabaya and Sidoarjo first. This results in high logistics costs and long travel times. The research method used in this research is a qualitative research method on economic growth factors in the GKS area. The factors considered in economic growth are population, number of people of productive age, number of people who are not yet working, minimum income/month, number of poorer people, percentage of poorer people, length of roads, number of people accessing the internet, number of telecommunication towers, length of roads damaged, investment value, export value, import value, and gross regional domestic product (GRDP). The analytical tool used in the research is a descriptive method to measure and assess the quality of economic growth and changes in regional economic growth factors, assisting strategic planning for the construction of new railway lines as the right solution for developing regional economic growth. Therefore, to accelerate economic growth and reduce logistics costs in the GKS area, a new railway line between Gresik - Mojokerto should be built. If logistics costs are low, it will reduce the price of goods and increase the opportunity to order goods and open up new jobs. If new job opportunities are opened, it will be possible to reduce the number of unemployed people by 375,392 people and the poorer population by 719,944 people. So it is hoped that it will increase economic growth to reach 7%. Only the Gresik and Sidoarjo regions have met this economic growth. Mojokerto’s economic growth is still 5.56% and lags behind other regions. If the construction of the new Gresik – Mojokerto train line is realized, then economic growth in the GKS region of at least 7% will not be difficult to achieve.