Toll Road Rest Area Managers Don't Forget: Tenants Percentage 76 Percent Of MSMEs And The Rest Are Non MSMEs

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) is assessing the quality of services on all toll roads. The 2021 Sustainable Toll Road Assessment activity will be carried out from October 12 to November 21, 2021.

"The 2021 toll road assessment is carried out on 44 BUJT, 63 toll road sections, and 123 rest areas in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Bali. There are three aspects of sustainable toll road assessment, namely the main function of toll roads, supporting functions in rest areas, as well as complementary functions in rest areas", explained the Expert Staff of the Minister of PUPR for the Environment, Sudirman, in a written statement, Thursday, October 21.

The main functions of toll roads include aspects of smoothness, safety, and comfort for toll road users. The supporting function of toll roads is in the form of implementing regulations on rest areas and services on toll roads that refer to the fulfillment of minimum service standard indicators (SPM) for rest areas, such as the availability of toilets, parking areas, gas stations, places to eat and drink, prayer rooms, and so on.

Meanwhile, complementary functions in rest areas are indicators beyond SPM that can optimize rest area utilization such as rest area cleanliness, waste management, local economic branding through MSMEs, collaboration with local governments and communities, reforestation, and implementation of the COVID-19 protocol.

The three criteria for assessing sustainable toll roads are contained in the Ministerial Regulation (Permen) of PUPR Number 16 of 2014 and the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Number 28 of 2021.

The hope is that toll roads and rest areas can be utilized optimally for the development of the surrounding area. One of them is by prioritizing the availability of business space for the owners of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the rest area.

The availability of MSMEs in rest areas can increase the promotion of local product brands to the community to provide economic benefits for the surrounding community. The percentage of MSME and non-MSME tenants currently in toll road rest areas throughout Indonesia is 76 percent of MSMEs and 24 percent of non-MSMEs.

"Through product branding and local culture and complemented by environmental aesthetic improvements, it is hoped that in the next five years each toll road and rest area will have distinctive characteristics so that they can also function as local tourist attractions", he said.

Sudirman said the toll road assessment was carried out by 4 assessment teams consisting of individual experts as well as assessors from the Ministry of PUPR. Each toll road segment and rest area will be assessed by 2 different assessment teams. The results of the assessment will be announced on December 3, 2021, to coincide with Public Works Service Day.

This assessment is carried out as part of the toll road transformation, innovation, and modernization efforts. BUJTs (Toll Road Business Entity) must fulfill toll road MSS and beyond MSS efforts, both in providing gender-responsive facilities, facilities for persons with disabilities, waste management, wastewater treatment, and so on.

"There is also a need for regulatory adjustments and strengthening the quality of toll roads to balance the quality of vehicles that are increasingly advanced and fast so that people can be more comfortable driving", he said.

Tuti, one of the visitors to the rest area on the Solo-Ngawi toll road, assessed that the condition of several rest areas is now better than in previous years.

“The facilities are quite complete and clean. There are already toilets, prayer rooms, places to eat. Hopefully, it can be further improved, especially if it can be kept clean so that people feel more comfortable", he said.

Ade, one of the MSME traders in the rest area of the Surabaya-Gempol toll road, expressed his appreciation for the provision of space and facilities for MSMEs in the rest area.

“In terms of facilities, until now there have been no problems as long as I trade here. Water and electricity are smooth, the place is also quite comfortable for trading. I hope that MSMEs in all rest areas can be further supported so that the economy can recover after this pandemic", he said.