President Jokowi Inaugurates Binjai-Stabat Toll Road in N. Sumatra

President Jokowi, accompanied by a number of ministers, inaugurates the 11.8-kilometer Binjai-Stabat Toll Road, in Langkat regency, North Sumatra province, Friday (02/04). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Kris)

In a series of working visits to North Sumatra province, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Friday (02/04) inaugurated the 11.8-kilometer Binjai-Stabat Toll Road section, in Langkat regency, North Sumatra province.

For the record, the toll road section is  part of the 131-kilometer Binjai-Langsa Toll Road which will later connect North Sumatra province with Aceh province. This section is also part of the Trans Sumatra Toll Road.

“Today, the 11.8-kilometer Binjai-Stabat section, Section 1 of the Binjai-Langsa Toll Road, is ready to be operational to support smooth connectivity. This toll road section is part of the 131-kilometer Binjai-Langsa Toll Road,” the President said in front of the Stabat Toll Gate.

This section, the President added, will later be connected with inter-provincial access that can connect production centers as well as regions with great potential. It will also open up new business opportunities, especially in areas around the toll road.

“This morning, I just saw an orange production center in Karo regency.  If the toll road is connected to production centers like that, connected to tourism areas, agricultural and plantation areas, and the road is this smooth, the cost structure in the commodity price, such as the orange, the price will be very competitive. I can guarantee that it can compete with the price of those imported,” he said.

President Jokowi stated that the high price of local products is often caused by the high cost of logistics. The high price, he said, could make it difficult for local products to compete with imported products.

“Our products often lose to imported goods because our prices are too high. And, the price is too high due to expensive logistics costs, expensive transportation costs. And earlier we see that, when we saw the oranges, once the road is repaired, what percentage will the logistics/transportation costs drop, sir? Seventy-five percent. We’re heading there,” he said.

For this reason, the President highlighted that infrastructure development is not only a physical structure but is expected to positively impact the people.

“It’s not only a physical structure. The people will benefit. The farmers will benefit. Those in tourism sector will benefit if they are all connected. The main toll road should be connected to productive areas,” he said.

Furthermore, in addition to providing speed in inter-district and inter-provincial connectivity, this toll road segment, he said, will also facilitate access to various tourist destinations in the province.

“For example, the Bukit Lawang tourist area in Bahorok district, the Tangkahan tourist area, the Tuan Guru spiritual tourist area in Tanjung Pura, Langkat regency. And, this is a very good opportunity to develop potentials existing in the region, the potentials managed by the local communities,” he said.

The President also appealed to all parties to make the best use of the infrastructure in order to unlock regional potential and improve people’s welfare.

“I believe through the progress of the infrastructure, we can develop the potentials existing in the region, such as what I previously mentioned, agriculture, tourism, plantations, fisheries, and others. I trust that this good infrastructure will be used as well as possible to encourage new businesses, increase employment, and improve people’s welfare,” he remarked.(DND/AIT/UN) (FI/MUR)