The Governor Of West Sumatra Has Prohibited Constraints On The Development Of The Padang-Pekanbaru Toll Road Which Jokowi HOPEs To Rampung Rapidly

Jokowi has just visited the elephant crossing at KM 12 Pekanbaru-Dumai Toll Road, Thursday, January 5. (BPMI Setpres-Laily Rachev)

The Governor of West Sumatra (West Sumatra) Mahyeldi Ansharullah conveyed that the Padang-Pekanbaru Toll Road, which President Joko Widodo hopes to complete, is being accelerated. He also revealed a number of obstacles in his cultivation.

"The problem now is that in Limapuluh Kota Regency, one of the remaining three parcels has not been resolved," he said while responding to a video of President Jokowi inaugurating the Bangkinang Toll Road in Padang, West Sumatra, Friday, January 6, which was confiscated by Antara.

Mahyeldi said he had asked the Regent of Limapuluh Kota to complete the land acquisition so that the national development project could be accelerated.

"All of us in the provinces and regency cities have agreed to continue this development," he said.

He admitted that his party was trying to take quick steps in the construction of the Padang-Pekanbaru Toll Road. For now, the toll road to the Sicincin area has begun to be carried out.

Previously, the chairman of the West Sumatra DPRD, Supardi, said that the slow process of working on the Padang-Pekanbaru Toll Road was the responsibility of the Governor of West Sumatra as an extension of the central government in this area.

The toll road is a national strategic project that is a program from the president. Now the problem of slow toll road construction is land acquisition," said Supardi.

According to him, the issue of land acquisition, which is still not free, is the responsibility of the regent and mayor only as executors.

"The governor's assignment for land acquisition was carried out without asking the DPRD for approval. We DPRD only supervise the steps taken by the governor," he said.

He emphasized that the West Sumatra DPRD would certainly encourage this project to run according to plan because this toll road is vital in building the economy of West Sumatra. According to him, West Sumatra will be even more lagging if the construction of this toll road is not completed because smooth road access will turn the wheels of the economy.

West Sumatra has agricultural, plantation and livestock products that can be brought to other provinces and will run smoothly with toll roads because distribution using land routes will be more effective

"I believe we will concentrate on the toll road problem. So far, we have not focused on completing the toll road," he said.

Previously, President Joko Widodo could not confirm when the toll road from Pekanbaru to Padang Pariaman would be completed when inaugurating the Bangkinang Toll Road on Wednesday, January 4.

The President reminded that the Pekanbaru-Bangkinang Toll Road is connected to the Pekanbaru Outer Ring Road. "So that the Dumai-Pekanbaru-Bangkinang Toll Road will continue towards Padang. When will it be finished? I can't talk, because it's still a long time," said President Jokowi.