The Ministry Of PUPR Targets The Connected Trans Sumatra Toll Road In The Next Five Years

Photo of the Pekanbaru-Dumai Toll Road in Riau as part of the Trans Sumatra Toll Road. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono revealed that the connection of the Trans Sumatra Toll Road is the main target for the next five years.

"We have to complete the next five years to connect Trans Sumatra, that's the main target," said Basuki in Jakarta, Friday.

The construction of the Trans Sumatra Toll Road is a recommendation from the Ministry of PUPR regarding the sustainability of PUPR infrastructure development.

"We have recommended the sustainability of PUPR infrastructure development, one of the toll roads, we must God willing, we can connect the Trans Sumatra Toll Road," said Basuki.

The Trans Sumatra Toll Road is a toll road that will connect Lampung to Aceh. The Trans Sumatra Toll Road has a total length of 2,749 km with a main corridor length of 1,889 km and a supporting corridor of 860 km.

For information, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has accelerated the construction of the Trans Sumatra (JTTS) toll road connecting Lampung to Aceh provinces, along with its fins or i.

As the second largest island in the archipelago with a population exceeding 55 million, Sumatra plays an important role in the country's economy.

Traded with various natural potentials and abundant commodities, ranging from rubber, palm oil, coffee, petroleum, coal, and natural gas, in 2015 Sumatra contributed 22.21 percent of Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP), the second largest after Java, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Therefore, the progress and sustainability of the Sumatra economy is very important to ensure stability and growth in the region.

In an archipelago that has 17,508 islands, the road network system is a basic need to connect society and commerce with jobs, services, markets, reduce logistics costs, and stimulate industrial growth in Indonesia.

Responding to these needs, the government places high connectivity as one of the main priorities. Through Presidential Regulation No. 100 of 2014 which was later amended by Presidential Regulation No. 117 of 2015, the government gave a mandate to Hutama Karya to build and develop the Trans Sumatra Toll Road.