Indonesia's Trans-Sumatera Toll Road Targeted for Completion by 2024: Senior Minister

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan expressed hope that the construction of toll road megaproject namely Trans-Sumatera will be completed by 2024.

“When the toll road is ready for use, we hope it will smoothen the connectivity, save travel time and cost, improve the logistics, and provide easy access to many areas, including industrial parks and tourist destinations," Luhut said in a statement during a virtual coordination meeting on infrastructure and transportation sector on Tuesday, January 26.

The meeting also discussed the development of other infrastructure and transportation projects in the country.

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Luhut said one of the National Medium-Term Development Plans (RPJMN) in the 2020-2024 period is to reduce gaps and boost regional infrastructures, including the Merak-Bakauheni-Lampung areas.

“The development of this area is important because 21 million people and 4.5 million vehicles pass through Merak-Bakauheni Port,” he said.

Meanwhile, a representative of the Indonesian Toll Road Authority (BPJT) Eka P. Anas stated that several routes of Trans-Sumatera Toll Road have begun to operate.

“Several routes that have already been operating are Sigil-Banda Aceh spanning 13 kilometres, Medan-Binjai spanning 3.2 kilometres, Pekanbaru-Dumai spanning 131 kilometers, Palembang-Indralaya spanning 21.93 kilometres, Terbanggi Besar-Pematang Panggang-Kayu Agung spanning189 kilometres, and Bakauheni-Terbanggi Besar spanning140.41 kilometres,” said Eka.

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The meeting also discussed the plan to develop the Bakauheni Harbor City project, which is expected to improve the economy in the Bakauheni tourism areas.

Ira Puspadewi, president director of state-owned ferry operator ASDP Indonesia Ferry, said that the port will have a total size of 214 hectares. In the future, the Bakauheni area is expected to become a world-class tourist destination, not only as a ferry port which can accommodate 42.2 percent or about 20.7 million passengers per year.

(Writer: Ade Miranti Karunia | Editor: Yoga Sukmana)

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2021/01/27/123240426/luhut-harap-pembangunan-tol-trans-sumatera-rampung-awal-2024