From April 8–10, 2026, a 25-member delegation from the IES Civil & Structural Engineering Technical Committee conducted a technical study trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, exploring the frontier of Southeast Asian infrastructure.

The mission bridged urban transit innovation and high-speed regional connectivity. At the Manggarai Station LRT Jakarta Project Phase 1B, the team examined how strategic design evolutions—such as elevating critical equipment to upper levels—are being used to enhance safety and operational efficiency while minimizing traffic disruption in a dense urban environment.

The delegation also experienced the future of rail travel aboard the Whoosh High-Speed Rail, the fastest in the region. Reaching speeds of 350km/h, the journey served as a masterclass in precision engineering, famously validated by the “Coin Test,” where a coin remained perfectly balanced on its edge despite the train’s immense velocity. From technical site visits to exclusive depot tours, the trip provided the IES team with invaluable insights into the stability, integration, and execution of world-class engineering projects.