Thus, we can hopefully achieve our target to build 1,000 km of toll roads in the next five years ..."
Batang (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government is targeting to start the operation of new toll roads, spanning a total of 395 kilometers (km), across the country this year.

A total of 172.9 km of toll roads became operational in the last two years, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono stated in the midst of a working visit alongside President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in Batang on Monday.

A total of 567.9 km is projected to become operational by the end of 2017.

Furthermore, he revealed that the ministry is optimistic of making 1,182.7 km of toll roads operational in 2018 and 1,851.4 km in 2019.

"Thus, we can hopefully achieve our target to build 1,000 km of toll roads in the next five years, even surpassing it and reaching 1,851.4 km," he remarked.

According to data released by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, 34 sections of toll roads will officially become operational in 2017, including section 1 (Pangkaljati-Jakasampurna) of the Bekasi-Cawang-Kampung Melayu route, section 3 (Bawen-Salatiga, 17.6 km) of the Semarang-Solo route, section 1 of the Solo-Mantingan route segment Sragen-Mantingan (21.35 km) and section 2 (Mantingan-Ngawi, 34.2 km), as well as the Kartosuro-Karanganyar segment of the government-funded Solo-Ngawi route.

Some of the longer toll roads, scheduled to officially open this year, include the first to third sections of the Ngawi-Kertosono route, with a total of 49.51 km, and section two (Jombang-West Mojokerto, 19.9 km) of the Kertosono-Mojokerto route.

Several new toll roads will also become operational on the island of Sumatra this year, including the second section (Helvetia-Semayang, 6.18 km) and third section (Semayang-Binjai, 4.28 km) of the Medan-Binjai route, section 1 (Palembang-Pamulutan, 7.75 km) and section three (KTM-Simpang, 9.28 km) of the Palembang-Indralaya route, as well as seven different sections of the Medan-Kualanamu-Tebing Tinggi route, with a total of 61.75 km.

(Reported by Edy Sujatmiko/Uu.KR-ARC/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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