Four Trans Sumatra Toll Roads There Will Be Tariff Adjustments This Year

Toll road illustration (photo: dock. Antara)

JAKARTA - PT Hutama Karya (Persero) said, there will be tariff adjustments for the four Trans Sumatra Toll Roads (JTTS) in 2024. The four toll roads, namely the Terbanggi Besar-Pematang Panggang- Kayu Agung Toll Road, Palembang-Indralaya Toll Road, Pekanbaru-Dumai Toll Road and Sigli-Banda Aceh Toll Road.

"In order to maintain the sustainability of toll roads, adjusting tariffs into a phenomenon that is unavoidable in optimizing toll road infrastructure services and maintenance," said Executive Vice President (EVP) Corporate Secretary Hutama Karya Tjahjo Purnomo in a written statement, Thursday, January 11.

Tjahjo said this tariff adjustment was a critical strategy to maintain a balance between operational financing, maintenance of toll road quality and the sustainability of investment in the transportation sector.

"Thus, the adjustment of toll road rates not only ensures the comfort and security of road users, but also plays a role in supporting sustainable development and economic growth," he said.

He considered that, in quality, the four toll roads had met the requirements for tariff adjustments and were expected to get a license. Given, the tariff adjustment is crucial enough to maintain the continuity of toll roads and create a conducive toll road investment climate.

"Before the toll road is adjusted, an assessment and testing is carried out first. In addition, at the time of its implementation, we still have to look at the current conditions and situations, if there are special cases like the previous Covid-19, tariff adjustments must also be postponed first," said Tjahjo.

In addition, continued Tjahjo, there were also several new toll roads operated in 2023 by Hutama Karya. However, the toll tariff is not charged or free.

"For example, the Sigli-Banda Aceh (Sibanceh) Section 5 & 6 (Blang Bintang- Baitussalam), the Binjai-Langsa Section 2 Toll Road (Stabat-Kuala Bingai), the Indralaya-Prabumulih Toll Road and the Indrapura-Five Puluh Toll Road are also still operated without tariffs or not paid," he said.

According to Tjahjo, the toll road that operates the longest without tariffs at this time is the Sibanceh Section 5 & 6, which is since June 2023.

"Hopefully the Decree on the Determination of the Vehicle Tariff Class will be issued and the tariff can take effect soon," he said.

Meanwhile, Public Policy Observer Agus Pambagio said that this tariff adjustment should be done every two years. This is based on articles 48 paragraph (3) and (4) of Law (UU) No. 2 of 2022 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 38 of 2004 concerning Roads.

According to Agus, this tariff adjustment was mainly carried out, such as the Terbanggi Besar-Kayu Agung Toll Road and the Pekanbaru-Dumai Toll Road. This is because the three toll roads have not made any tariff adjustments to date.

"Actually, this tariff adjustment is the right of the Toll Road Business Entity (BUJT) considering that the price of inflation which has an impact on rising prices from year to year also certainly affects the maintenance price of the toll road. So, the increase every two years seems to be sufficient," he explained.

"Moreover, tariff adjustments are also a government agreement with investors to see the economic value of the toll road," he concluded.