Jokowi: Trans-Sumatera Highway Construction Commences on April

Liputan6.com, Jakarta The construction of Indonesian Special Economic Zone will start in April 2015. This will be accompanied by the development of the Sumatera toll roads and the transit port that connects Merak and Bakauheni. The creation of the special economic zone in Sumatera will be the main focus of the program and it is expected that the construction does not encounter any issue that will be the reason for unwanted postponement.

"Three months ago, we have visited the location and we agreed that Trans-Sumatera highway is deemed necessary and the construction should happen in the near future. Thereafter, I have decided that the construction should start by April this year," Jokowi said during a meeting with the cabinet at the Presidential office, Jakarta, Thursday (05/03/2015).

Jokowi wants the planning for the development to be examined and discussed thoroughly as it is a long-term plan to connect may regions across Indonesia.

"We want to see what the development should be like within the range of 50 to 100 years. We should be able to foresee the future by discussing what the development should be like," Jokowi continued.

In November 2014, Jokowi came to monitor the planning to build the Trans-Sumatera highway and the railways that are expected to connect each region to one another.

The Minister of State Owned Enterprises, Rini M Soemarsono also supported the notion of starting the construction on April 2015.

"The Trans-Sumatera highway construction can start soon. This begins with the creation of one that connects Bakauheni to Terbanggi Besar, South Sumatera," Rini said.

It is reported that the total investment for the toll road construction costs around Rp 53 trillion. The developer for this construction will be PT Hutama Karya (Persero) and involved many other property developers along the way so that it could be finished sooner or as expected.

At the same time, the government will also push the development of Merak and Bakauheni ports and the Special Economic Zone of Merak, Bakauheni, Bandar Lampung and Tanjung Api-aoum Palembang so that all development can be integrated with one another. (Akp/Riz)