TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the Cikampek-Palimanan toll road project has progressed to 92 percent construction. According to Basuki, the toll road will be fully operational before this year’s lebaran or Eid’s homecoming season.

Basuki revealed that toll road investor PT Lintas Marga Sedaya has two months to complete the construction.

“There will be a trial for the toll road next week, so that it can operate in early June,” Basuki said at the construction site, Cikampek, West Java, on Saturday, April 4, 2015.

Abdul Gani Gazali, the head of the toll-road regulatory agency (BPJT) at the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, said the trial will be started from Sumberjaya-Palimanan section.

Lintas Marga Sedaya vice president director Hudaya Arryanto said 25 kilometers of the toll road is still under construction. In addition, about 9 out of 99 toll road bridges are yet completed. Hudaya has set a target that all of the toll road sections will be operational by the end of May.

Basuki said the toll road is expected to reduce the traffic congestion by 50 percent at Java north coast highway (Pantura) during the homecoming season. Basuki added that the toll road was designed to facilitate 25,000 vehicles per day.

ALI HIDAYAT