Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated four roads in Magelang District, Central Java, which plays a role for the residents' evacuation access around Mount Merapi.

"The Muntilan-Keningar, Sukomarmur section is an evacuation access for Mount Merapi. It has been completed today," he stated at the inauguration ceremony accessed from the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube Channel on Monday.

The repair of the four roads -- Muntilan, Keningar, Sukomakmur, and Petung Pakis in Magelang District -- is the implementation of the Presidential Instruction for Regional Roads in Central Java Province.

The president detailed that the Regional Road Presidential Instruction budget for road repair and construction in 2023 was allocated at Rp14.6 trillion. Specifically for Central Java Province, the government has budgeted Rp1.36 trillion to repair and build 40 roads.

Meanwhile, for Magelang District, the four 18.2-kilometer road sections inaugurated by the president were valued at Rp31.9 billion.

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According to the president, the Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Agency built this road section not with asphalt, but with rigid concrete for durability, considering that several sand trucks ply on the road.

"We hope that building this road with rigid concrete will provide durability. This road is often passed by large sand trucks. We hope this will be more durable," he stated.

The president also expressed hope that other roads in Central Java would be better for travel. Therefore, he will also inspect other roads during his second day of working visit to Central Java on Tuesday (January 23).

Apart from reviewing the road construction, the head of state was scheduled to hand over several forms of aid, including food assistance, handing over land rights certificates to the people, and attending an assembly for Islamic boarding school students.

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Translator: Mentari Dwi G, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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