President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo hopes that the construction of the 1,150-kilometer Trans-Java toll road from Merak in Banten to Banyuwangi in East Java, which is expected to be completed in 2019, can facilitate the development of economic growth points.
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KOMPAS/NINA SUSILO
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo talks with East Java Governor Soekarwo on Friday (22/6/2018) after inaugurating the 20.5-kilometer Gempol-Pasuruan toll road section, which forms the easternmost segment of the Trans-Java toll road. The last part of the Gempol-Pasuruan toll road is expected to be completed by September. Also in the picture are Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono (center), PT Jasa Marga president director Desi Arryani (second right), and Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) head Herry Trisaputra Zuna (right). The overland connection from Merak in Banten to Pasuruan in East Java is expected to boost the economy in numerous regencies of Java.
PASURUAN, KOMPAS — President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo hopes that the construction of the 1,150-kilometer Trans-Java toll road from Merak in Banten to Banyuwangi in East Java, which is expected to be completed in 2019, can facilitate the development of economic growth points.
The economic growth points range from industrial estates and ports to tourism destinations. Thus, the toll road construction not only increases the mobility of people and goods, but also encourages economic growth.
"This is what we want – to integrate everything. So, the toll road being built can really be useful, to the maximum, for the business world, tourism, industry and also for port areas, some of which have also been expanded," said the President when he inaugurated a section of the Gempol-Pasuruan Toll Road in Pasuruan, East Java, on Friday (22/6/2018).
"Unless [it is connected with the growth points], the toll road construction will not optimally benefit the surrounding community," said the President.
According to the President, toll roads today are no longer merely for the transportation of people and goods and to bring down the cost of logistics through faster distribution. Toll roads should also spur economic growth of surrounding areas.
At the inauguration ceremony, the President was accompanied by First Lady Mrs. Iriana Joko Widodo, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung and East Java Governor Soekarwo.
East Java economy
According to the director of engineering and operations of PT Jasamarga Gempol Pasuruan, Ari Wibowo, the Gempol-Pasuruan toll road section is expected to boost economic growth in East Java.
The construction of the Gempol-Pasuruan toll road was done by PT Jasa Marga Gempol-Pasuruan with investment of Rp 4.03 trillion and a concession period of 45 years.
Up to 30 percent of the funds were obtained from shareholders, namely PT Jasa Marga (Persero) amounting to 98.81 percent and PT Jatim Prasarana Utama 1.19 percent. The other 70 percent was financed with loans from state-owned and regional banks, such as BRI, Bank Mandiri, BNI and Bank Pembangunan Daerah Jatim.
To be extended to Banyuwangi
Furthermore, the President said that, with the inauguration of the Gempol-Pasuruan toll road section, the Trans-Java toll road from Merak to Pasuruan along 920 km had now been fully connected. The construction of the remaining 13.65 kilometers, or Section III, of the Pasuruan-Grati toll road would be carried out by September this year.
However, the section at the tip of East Java is not yet done. The government will also continue with the construction of the 170.36-km Probolinggo-Banyuwangi toll road section, which is to be completed by 2019.
According to the President, the Merak-Pasuruan toll road has already been used for mass travel for the recent Idul Fitri holiday. Of the fully connected toll roads from Merak to Pasuruan, 607 km are in service, while the remaining 313 km will be completed by the end of this year.
The construction of the Gempol-Pasuruan toll road is divided into three sections. Section I (Gempol-Rembang) of 13.9 km has been in operation since 2017. Section II (Rembang-Pasuruan) of 6.6 km has been temporarily used for recent holiday travel in a trial operation. On this toll road section, travelers were not charged tolls. Section III (Pasuruan-Grati) of 13.65 km, construction of which has progressed to about 24 percent, is expected to be completed later this year.
The Gempol-Pasuruan toll road is designed for vehicles traveling at 100 kilometers per hour. On the 34.15-kilometer toll road, there are four interchanges, namely in Bangil, Rembang, Pasuruan and Grati.
Currently, several other Trans-Java toll road sections are also ready to be inaugurated by the President. Besides the Pejagan-Pemalang and Kartosuro-Sragen sections, there is also the Sragen-Ngawi segment, covering a distance of 51 km.
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