Ministry Of PUPR: 596 Km Trans-Sumatra Toll Road Operates Until July

Illustration - The Ministry of PUPR is working on the construction of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road. BETWEEN/HO-Ministry of PUPR

JAKARTA - The Ministry of PUPR noted that as many as six sections of the 596-kilometer Trans-Sumatra Toll Road have been fully operational until July 2023 and seven other sections along 361 km in the construction stage. "The presence of toll roads will reduce logistics costs and cut the travel time for distribution of goods and services between regions," said Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono in a statement in Jakarta, Antara, Sunday, July 30. The presence of toll roads, said Basuki, will also encourage the growth of new economic centers, especially areas crossing toll roads. One of the Trans-Sumatra toll roads that has just been inaugurated by President Joko Widodo and has been operating is the 16.7 km Bengkulu-Taba Penjung Toll Road which was built with a budget of IDR 4.8 trillion. This toll road is part of the main fin or supporting corridor on the Bengkulu section to Lubuk Linggau along 95.8 km. "(Toll roads) encourage the growth of new economic centers, especially areas around the toll road on/off ramp," said Basuki. Meanwhile, seven other sections that are still under construction are 361 km, namely the 48 km Indrapura-Kisaran toll road with a progress of 85.5 percent and the target is completed in 2023. Furthermore, the 143 km Kuala Tanjung-Tebing Tinggi section with a progress of 84.26 percent is targeted for completion by the end of 2023. Another section that is still in the construction stage is the Simpang Indralaya-Prabumulih toll road along 64 km and is targeted to be ready for operation in the near future. Meanwhile, on the Pekanbaru-Padang section, there are two sections that are still under construction, namely the Bangkinang-Koto Kampar Section (24 km) with a progress of 74.8 percent and the Padang-Sicincin Section (37 km) with a progress of 32.6 percent. Previously, the Pekanbaru-Bangkinang Section had been operating for 31 km. The next section that is still under construction is Binjai-Pangkalan Brandan with a progress of 79.9 percent, after the Binjai-Stabat section has been operating for 12 km. Furthermore, there is the Sigli-Banda Aceh Toll Road (74 km) which leaves two sections along 38 km of construction, namely the Blang Bintang-Baitussalam and Sigli-Seuliemum sections with 81 percent progress. Spokesperson for the Ministry of PUPR Endra S Atmawidjaja added that the existence of this toll road is a long-term government investment. The island of Sumatra, he said, with all its potential and resources is Indonesia's future.

"By providing toll road services, our goal is not just infrastructure that is built, but actually opening up growing space for prospective areas today and the future," said Endra.