3 Toll Road Sections Are Ready for Operation during 2020 Eid Exodus
Pekanbaru Toll Gate that will be operated before 2020 Eid. (Photo: Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing)
The Government through Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has set a target to complete constructing 28 toll roads spanning 482 kilometers in 2020.
Functional feasibility tests have been conducted to three toll roads and they are ready for operation. The toll roads are, Manado – Bitung Toll Road Section I, Pekanbaru-Dumai Toll Road, and Kayu Agung – Palembang – Betung Toll Road (part of Kayu Agung – Jakabaring Section).
“I hope the construction of Pekanbaru – Dumai and Manado – Bitung Toll Road can be completed in April so that the roads are ready for operation during exodus before 2020 Eid,” Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said.
For Manado – Bitung Toll Road spanning 39 kilometers, the construction of Section I (that connects Manado and Airmadidi) spanning 14 kilometers is 100 percent completed. Meanwhile, physical construction of Section 2A (Airmadidi – Kauditan) spanning 6.5 kilometers,- which is predicted to complete in April 2020,- has 98.16 percent completed; land development progress has 99.61 percent completed. Physical construction of Section 2B (Kauditan – Bitung) spanning 18.5 kilometers,- which is predicted to complete in December 2020,- has reached 45.59 percent; land development progress has reached 97.25 percent
The construction of Manado – Bitung Toll Road aims to reduce logistics costs from and to Bitung International Port, and to support the development of Bitung Special Economic Zone and Manado – Bitung – Likupang national tourism areas, including to provide access to Lembeh Island. The Toll Road will cut travel time from 90 minutes to only 30 minutes.
For Pekanbaru – Dumai Toll Road spanning 131 kilometers, the construction of Section I (Pekanbaru and Minas) spanning 9.5 kilometers is 100 percent completed. Meanwhile, physical construction of Section 2-6 spanning 120.9 kilometers,- which is predicted to complete in April 2020,- has reached 89.19 percent; land development progress has reached 94.26 percent.
The toll road will enhance connectivity in the city of Pekanbaru as the Capital of Riau Province and the city of Dumai as the main port city with oil and agribusiness industry. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo also said that this toll road will increase mobility of people and logistics that will eventually increase national competency and infrastructure stock.
“The toll road will shorten distance between Pekanbaru and Dumai which is 200 kilometers via national roads to only 131 kilometers. I think trucks carrying raw materials including palm can use this toll to cut travel time so that time needed to bring the materials from the sources to factories can be well-calculated,” the Minister added.
Along Pekanbaru – Dumai Toll Road Section IV, four wildlife crossing tunnels for elephants will be built since the Section will cross Balai Raja and Siak Kecil Wildlife Conservations which are home to 50 Sumatran elephants.
For Kayu Agung – Palembang – Betung Toll Road spanning 33.5 kilometers, the construction of Kayu Agung – Jakabaring Section is 100 percent completed. The toll road will be on operational before 2020 Eid. Meanwhile, physical construction of Jakabaring – Jalintim Sumatra Section spanning 9 kilometers,- which is predicted to complete in December 2020,- has 54.45 percent completed; land development progress has 100 percent completed. Physical construction of Section 2 and 3 (Jalintim – Betung) spanning 69.19 kilometers has reached 22.15 percent and land development progress has reached 59.69 percent.
For the record, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing is continue working on the target of toll road construction in 2020-2024 with a total length of 2,500 kilometers. Around 54 toll road sections spanning 2,300 kilometers have been completed during the first quarter of 2020. (Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing/EN)
Translated by : Rany Anjany S
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana B
