Sumatra toll road ready for use in upcoming mass exodus season
Friday, May 24 2019 - 02:52 AM WIB
A new 503-km toll road in Sumatra will be ready for use in the lead up to the annual Idul Fitri holiday mass exodus, Minister of Housing and Public Works Basuki Hadimuljono said.
Basuki said in a statement issued by the Cabinet Secretary on Thursday that of the total 503-km toll road, 281-km are already in operation, while the remaining 222-km are still in “functional status,” which will also be used to facilitate the annual mass exodus of people from the cities to their hometowns in Sumatra to celebrate the Islamic Idul Fitri holiday.
He said that the functional toll road will be operated under the supervision of the National Police’s Traffic Coordination Office.
Basuki said that the toll road sections in Sumatra which are already in operation are the Bakauheni – Terbanggi Besar section 140.4 km, Palembang – Indralaya 21.9 km, Medan – Binjai 13.2 km, Medan – Kualanamu – Tebing Tinggi 62.2 km, and Belawan – Medan – Tanjung Morawa 42.7 km.
Meanwhile, toll road sections under the “functional” status are Terbanggi Besar – Pematang Panggang – Kayu Agung 189 km, and Kayu Agung – Palembang 33 km.
Basuki added that a total of 7,918-km of improved “national roads” in Sumatra are also ready for use to facilitate the Idul Fitri exodus.
Elsewhere, Budi said that the 1,000.7-km Trans Java toll road will also be ready for use, of which 996-km have been in operation, and another 4.7-km still under functional status.
He added that national roads in Java and new bridges are also ready for use. (*)