Govt to build toll road exit for Pindad EV industrial estate

By Romel S. Gurky

The Ministry of Public Works will support infrastructure development for a new automotive industrial estate in West Java that will produce domestically developed electric vehicles by state-owned defence manufacturer PT Pindad, the ministry said on Tuesday.

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said the government would improve access to the industrial estate in Subang by constructing a toll road exit linked to the Patimban Access Toll Road, while temporary access would be provided via the Cikampek-Palimanan Toll Road.

The announcement was made during a visit to the planned manufacturing site with Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and PT Pindad President Director Sigit Puji Santosa.

"For the Subang industrial estate, this support will be realised through connectivity to the Patimban Access Toll Road, as well as temporary access via the Cikampek-Palimanan Toll Road," Dody said in a ministry statement.

The industrial estate has been designated a National Strategic Installation and is expected to manufacture electric cars and motorcycles developed by Pindad as part of Indonesia's efforts to strengthen its domestic automotive and defence industries.

During the visit, the Public Works Ministry also reaffirmed plans to integrate transport infrastructure with defence requirements by preparing selected toll road sections to serve as emergency runways for military aircraft.

Dody said the initiative reflected the government's broader approach of aligning infrastructure development with national strategic priorities, including defence and security.

Sjafrie said toll roads could provide emergency landing facilities for fighter aircraft if air force bases became unavailable during military operations or other emergencies.

"We need to work closely with the Public Works Ministry so that designated sections of toll roads can be prepared for the short takeoff and landing of fighter aircraft, should our air force bases be unable to accommodate emergency landings," he said.

Pindad President Director Sigit Puji Santosa said dedicated toll road access would be critical to supporting logistics at the new industrial estate.

He added that existing local roads serving the site are too narrow to accommodate future traffic volumes and would need to be upgraded into a two-lane road extending to the Territorial Development Battalion.

The ministry did not disclose the cost or timeline for the infrastructure works.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak