"If we look at it today, the Leuwipanjang Terminal in Bandung City, built with a budget of Rp70 billion (around US$4.44 million), is really impressive. This is to encourage people to use public transportation," he said.
He delivered the statement during the inauguration of the revitalized Leuwipanjang and Banjar terminals from the Leuwipanjang terminal, Bandung, West Java, on Saturday.
Widodo said the increased use of public transportation, supported by terminal revitalization, would hopefully reduce the number of private vehicles plying on the roads.
"If it (use of private vehicles) continues, what will happen is traffic congestion, like we usually face in our daily life," he added.
According to him, traffic congestion can cause losses to society and the economy. Giving an example, he said that in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) area, in a year, such economic losses can reach almost Rp100 trillion (around US$6.35 billion).
The President further said he hoped that in addition to encouraging a shift in transportation behaviors, the terminal revitalization would encourage the use of other means of public transportation, such as trains, offering better connectivity from the Leuwipanjang Terminal and Banjar Terminal.
"This will also greatly reduce traffic congestion on our roads, and hopefully, the Leuwipanjang Terminal and the Banjar Terminal in West Java can make people's mobility from one city to another or within the city faster," he added.
At the inauguration ceremony on Saturday, he was accompanied by Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, acting governor of West Java, Bey Triadi Machmudin, and acting mayor of Bandung, Bambang Tirtoyuliono.
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Translator: Ricky Prayoga, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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