Alternative roads for transporting coal completed in April: Governor
Friday, February 10 2012 - 03:40 AM WIB
South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin said that the alternative roads built to transport coal to Musi River with the length of about 200 kilometers was slated to be completed in April.
The roads that would enable miners in the province to stop using public road. The governor further explained that the administration had managed to find alternative route by borrowing roads from plantation, forestry and oil and gas companies that would lead to Musi River.
?I still allow the use of small trucks to transport coal using the public road until April 1. From then on all miners must use alternative roads. We hope the alternative roads to be completed in April,? he told Petromindo.com in special interview in Jakarta.
Alex is keynote speaker at the two-day seminar on ?Unlocking Sumatra coal potential? in Jakarta organized by Petromindo.com.
He said that PT Bara Marga Sarana was in charge for the construction of the alternative road.
?There is another alternative road of 116 kilometer stretching from Lahat Regency to Muara Lematang. This road is the property of PT Servo Lintas Jaya,? he said.
The Governor banned the heavy coal vehicles from using public road in December due to the increasing incidents and traffic jams which resulted to the social unrest in the province. This of course in addtion to the fact public roads have limited capacity unsuitable for high tonnages necessary for the coal hauling.
He said that administration has made strategic effort to cooperate with investors to build railway from Tanjung Carat to Tanjung Api-Api.
?The administration of South Sumatra has signed a contract with PT Bukit Asam and PT Adani Global to open transportation route from Tanjung Enim and Lahat to Tanjung Carat,? he said, adding that besides that PT Servo was completing preparation to build coal road along Lahat to Muara Lemteng and Tanjung Lago.
Editing by David Mustakim