There Is Good News! Government Prepares IDR 3.4 Trillion To Build Batam Bintan Bridge, But ...

Minister of PPN / Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa and Governor of Riau Islands Ansar Ahmad (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Minister of National Development Planning or the National Development Agency (PPN / Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa said that the Central Government has prepared a budget for the Batam Bintan bridge construction of IDR 3.4 trillion.

Suharso conveyed that the budget was not sufficient to build a bridge connecting Batam Island and Bintan Island with a total length of 7,685 kilometers.

"The government only bears the construction of a 2,134 kilometer long bridge. From Kabil, Batam City to Tanjung Sauh," said Suharso while reviewing the landing point for the Batam Bintan Bridge construction in Teluk Sasah, Bintan Regency, Riau Islands Province, Friday, April 23.

Meanwhile, the remaining 5,561 kilometer bridge from Tanjung Sauh-Buau Island-Bintan will be offered to private parties or investors. Therefore, he said, the national strategic project would only be built as a whole after there were investors who were willing to bear the financing.

"The construction will use a cooperation scheme between the government and business entities (PPP)," he added.

The PPP politician is optimistic that the Batam Bintan bridge project will begin construction in 2022 or 2023. Currently, the Central Government is finalizing the DED towards the auction stage.

However, Suharso did not yet know in detail the auction value for the Batam Bintan bridge project. "Hopefully, before 2024, this bridge will be built," said Suharso.

Furthermore, he believes the Batam Bintan bridge will have a big effect on economic growth for the Riau Islands region and nationally. Based on the report of the Governor of Riau Islands Ansar Ahmad, it is predicted that there will be around 7,000 vehicles crossing the bridge per day.