PTPP Completes Development Of Danowudu-Bitung Section, President Jokowi Inaugurates Longest Toll Road In Sulawesi

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). (Photo: Doc. PTPP)

JAKARTA - The state-owned construction company PT PP (Persero) Tbk (PTPP) has successfully completed the construction of the 13.65 kilometer Manado-Bitung Toll Road Section 2B Danowudu-Bitung. The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, inaugurated the operation of the Manado-Bitung Toll Road in North Sulawesi on Friday, February 25.

The inauguration of the toll road, which is the final section of the 39.8 kilometer Manado-Bitung Toll Road, was held directly at the Bitung Toll Gate, Maesa District, Bitung City.

During the event, Indonesian President Joko Widodo was accompanied by Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno, Minister of BUMN Erick Thohir, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljana, Governor of North Sulawesi Olly Dondokambey, Mayor of Manado Andrei Angouw, and Deputy Mayor of Bitung Maurits Mantiri. The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Novel Arsyad as President Director, Yul Ari Pramuraharjo as Operations Director for Infrastructure, Arzan as SVP Infrastructure Division 1, and Yuyus Juarsa as PTPP SVP Corporate Secretary.

The Manado-Bitung Toll Road is the first toll road owned by North Sulawesi Province which is located in North Minahasa Regency, Manado City. In 2020, PTPP completed the construction of the 26-kilometer Manado-Bitung Toll Road for the Manado-Danowudu Section which was also inaugurated virtually by the President of the Republic of Indonesia.

This toll road construction project has a contract value of Rp3.18 trillion for section II works. This toll road is owned by a BUJT company named PT Jasamarga Manado Bitung where the ownership structure consists of PT Jasa Marga (Persero) Tbk at 65 percent, PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk at 20 percent, and PTPP at 15 percent.

The scope of work for the construction of the Manado-Bitung Toll Road, among others: earthworks, main road works, ramp work, access road works, frontage, bridges, drainage, toll gates, etc. The Manado-Bitung Toll Road Section II project has a track of 25.7 kilometers for the main road and 9.92 kilometers for the Access+Ramp (SS Kauditan & SS Danowudu).

With the completion and inauguration of the toll road, the Manado-Bitung Toll Road has been fully connected with a total track length of 39.8 kilometers and is the longest toll road on the island of Sulawesi. By connecting the toll road, it can reduce the travel time from Manado to Bitung or vice versa, which previously took 1.5 hours to around 30 minutes.

In his remarks, President Jokowi expressed his gratitude for the completion of the Manado-Bitung Toll Road, Danowudu-Bitung Section.

Thus, the entire 39.8 kilometer Manado-Bitung Toll Road is complete and ready to be used to support all community activities in North Sulawesi Province," said the President in his remarks at the inauguration.

"We hope that from this development new points of economic growth will emerge, and we hope that economic growth in North Sulawesi can exceed the national level. Because in 2021, North Sulawesi will indeed be above our national economic growth," he added.

North Sulawesi Province has economic potential that can be continuously developed, including fisheries, agriculture, plantations, tourism, and so on. To develop all the potential possessed by North Sulawesi, of course, it must be supported by adequate infrastructure, one of which is the construction of toll roads. With the presence of the toll road, in addition to travel time efficiency, the construction of the Manado-Bitung Toll Road can also facilitate access to the Bitung Special Economic Zone (SEZ) so that it is expected to attract investors and continue to increase economic growth in North Sulawesi Province.

"PTPP is proud to be able to complete the construction work of the Manado-Bitung Toll Road Section 2B Danowudu-Bitung after in 2020 the company also completed Section 2A Manado-Danowudu. With its completion and inauguration, the Manado-Bitung Toll Road can cut the travel time significantly between Manado City and Bitung City. If previously the travel time between the two cities which was traversed via the national road was around 2 to 1.5 hours away, then by using the toll road it can only be reached in about 30 minutes," explained PTPP President Director Novel Arsyad.

"With the presence of this toll road, it will certainly have a positive impact on economic growth in North Sulawesi Province, one of which can reduce logistics costs and support the development of industrial areas and tourist destinations in North Sulawesi. In addition, the existence of this toll road is also expected to improve connectivity in the surrounding areas," he concluded.