Jokowi Inaugurates Bakauheni-Sidomulyo Toll Road in Lampung
Lampung. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated the Bakauheni-Sidomulyo section of the Bakauheni-Terbanggi Besar Toll Road in Lampung on Sunday (21/01).
The president said the road is important to support the 2018 Asian Games in August, which will be hosted by Jakarta and Palembang in South Sumatra — Lampung's neighboring province.
"I want the toll road connecting Bakauheni and Palembang to be ready before the Asian Games," Jokowi said.
"[But] I know there are some problems, like land acquisition, so it takes time," he added.
The 14.5-kilometer section is part of the 140-kilometer Bakauheni-Terbanggi Besar Toll Road. From the port city of Bakauheni, which connects Sumatra and Java, the road will stretch to the north of Lampung, and in the future will be integrated with the 2,818-kilometer Trans-Sumatra Toll Road, of which 820 kilometers should be completed by 2019.
Jokowi drove a truck on the new road, sending a message that it will reduce transportation costs for goods in the province.
"I'm optimistic that Bakauheni-Terbanggi Besar will be completed by July 2018," Public Works Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said during the inauguration ceremony.
The toll road development involves five state-owned construction companies — Hutama Karya and sub-contractors Waskita Karya, Adhi Karya, PP and Wijaya Karya.
According to Hutama Karya, the project is worth Rp 16.7 trillion ($1.1 billion). Land acquisition is 95 percent complete, while construction works are 65 percent ready.
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