"Our calculations (on the construction of the toll road) from Lampung, Bakauheni, to Aceh will be connected in 2024. But this is on the condition that the land acquisition process is smooth," President Jokowi told the media after laying the corner stone for the construction of the Banda Aceh-Sigli toll road in Aceh besar on Friday (Dec 14, 2018).
According to the President, construction of the toll road can happen quickly. However, the key to the speed of toll road construction is land acquisition.
The Head of State explained that the development of the Trans Sumatra toll road is expected to encourage economic growth.
The toll road will integrate special economic zones and tourism sites.
"This toll road is also integrated with special economic zones. In Lhokseumawe, there is a special economic zone. It is integrated with the toll road so that the mobility of goods and people can be fast, and surely investment will be attracted," Jokowi said.
Jokowi inaugurated the construction of the Banda Aceh-Sigli toll road on Friday in an effort to facilitate the mobility of goods and people and generate economic growth in Aceh Province.
"This afternoon, we will hold a groundbreaking ceremony to inaugurate the start of the construction of the toll road, which will extend from Aceh (in the western tip of Sumatra) to Lampung (in the eastern part of the island)," the President said while inaugurating the Banda Aceh-Sigli toll road in Blang Bintang, Aceh Besar, on Friday.
The President said with the hard work of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, related state-owned companies, and a number of regional heads the construction would proceed smoothly.
The Sigli-Banda Aceh toll road project is planned to be 74 kilometers long. Data from the National Land Agency (BPN) showed that the construction of toll roads passes through 78 "gampongs" or villages spread across two districts in Aceh.
According to PT Hutama Karya, the construction of the Sigli-Banda Aceh Toll Road section is divided into six sections, consisting of 13 kilometers of Indrapuri-Blang Bintang, eight kilometers of the Blang Bintang-Kutobaro section and five kilometers of the Kutobaro-Simpang Baitus section.
The other sections are Padang Tiji-Seulimeum, with a length of 26 kilometers, the Seulimeum-Jantho section, which is six kilometers long, and the Jantho-Indrapuri section, which is 16 kilometers long.
Besides the toll roads, which connect Banda Aceh with Sigli, the construction of turnpikes will also be carried out in the Sigli - Lhokseumawe section (135 kilometers), the Lhokseumawe - Langsa section (135 kilometers) and the Langsa-Binjai section, with a length of 110 kilometers.
Reporting by Bayu Prasetyo, Andi Abdussalam
Editing by Andi Abdussalam
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Yosep Hariyadi
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
