President Jokowi Inaugurates Surabaya-Mojokerto Toll Road

President Jokowi inaugurates Surabaya-Mojokerto Toll Road at Warugunung Toll Gate, Surabaya, East Java Province (Photo: BPMI)

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo again inaugurates one of infrastructure projects in Indonesia. This time, it is the inauguration of Surabaya-Mojokerto Toll Road Section IB, II, and III stretching from Sepanjang-Krian with a total of 15.47 kilometers. The inauguration held on Tuesday (19/12) at Warugunung Toll Gate, Surabaya, East Java. These three sections are the last section of 34.05 kilometers Surabaya-Mojokerto Toll Road.

The President also explains that the project of 1,167 kilometers Merak-Banyuwangi Toll Road shall be finished by the end of 2019. 561 kilometers of this Toll Road has operated, while 433 kilometers is still in construction phase, and 173 kilometers of the road is still at preparation phase.<>

On that occasion, the President also states that he will continue toll road projects outside Java Island, for example Trans Sumatra Toll Road in Lampung, Palembang, Medan, and Aceh.

The aim of Government accelerates these infrastructure development is to prepare the country to face a harder and tighter competition with other countries. The President believes that a developing country can be a developed one if it has a high and efficient competitiveness. Therefore, these Toll Road projects will be speeded up in order to reduce funding dependency on the State Budget.

“The construction of these toll roads should not depend only on the State Budget. State-Owned Enterprises must find new funding schemes that do not burden the country,” the President says.

At the end of his remarks, the President asserts that the development of toll roads, airports, ports, and railways aims to increase regional economy. Economic disparity among regions that exists during this time is caused by lack of infrastructures. If regional economy increases, it will drive national economy and improve people’s welfare in all over the country.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Governor of East Java Soekarwo, Mayor of Surabaya Tri Rismaharini, and Regent of Mojokerto Mustofa Kamal Pasa join the President and Ibu Iriana on that event. (BPMI/EN)(MMB/YM/Naster)