The Trans Sumatra Toll Road Has Not Been Connected To Aceh, Ministry Of SOEs: Development Constrained COVID-19

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of SOEs has ensured that the construction of the Trans Sumatra Toll Road (JTTS) will not be connected from Lampung to Aceh in 2024. The realization of this development is purely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Special Staff (Staffsus) of the Minister of SOEs, Arya Sinulingga, said that the construction of the new JTTS will arrive in Jambi in 2024. The reason is, two years in Indonesia was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic which hampered development. "Yes, indeed. It's just that yesterday we were hampered when we were Corona. For the past two years, we were Corona, the impact was great too. So many were hampered, many were a bit delayed," he told reporters, Tuesday, December 6.

Therefore, Arya considered it natural that the Trans Sumatra Toll Road could not be connected from Lampung to Aceh in 2024 according to President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) wishes.

"It's true that Pak Jokowi's plan was delayed because of Corona. This is a person who likes to forget about the Corona condition. It's in such a bad condition," he said.

Even so, Arya said that the government would still inject fresh funds into state-owned companies that were tasked with building the Trans Sumatra Toll Road, in this case PT Hutama Karya. The funds will later be used to complete the construction.

Furthermore, Arya said the funds obtained would later be adjusted for the completion of the Trans Sumatra Toll Road project.

"What is certain is that next year we can get more PMN to build Trans Sumatra. We will adjust it to the existing funds," he said.

For your information, the state-owned construction company, PT Hutama Karya (Persero) has received the task of the government to build the Trans Sumatra Toll Road (JTTS).

To date, Hutama Karya has completed about 570 kilometers (km) and targets several toll roads to be completed in 2023.

The details, the 17 km Medan-Binjai Toll Road. Then, Pekanbaru-Dumai is 131 km long. Then, Palembang-Indralaya is 22 km long and is already operational.

Then, the Great TB-Kayu Agung is 189 km long, and the Bakauheni-TB is 141 km long.