TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo inaugurated Section I and II of the Pejagan-Pemalang toll road in Central Java on Thursday that would shorten the travel time for Eid-al-Fitr holiday makers to the region.
The ceremony was held at the East Brebes toll gate in the village of Banjaranyar, Brebes, Central Java.
President Widodo said the operation of the new sections of the toll road is expected to reduce congestion and travel time for the holiday makers later.
"The toll road will also benefit the people as it would fasten delivery of goods," he said.
Shallots and other vegetables from Brebes to Jakarta will be delivered faster now, with the delivery time being reduced from seven hours to only 3.5 to four hours. "This is faster and the vegetables will not become bad or damaged upon arrival and so their price will be good," he said.
Investors for the development of the section were actually determined in 1996 or 20 years ago, but their implementation had been hindered.
"I do not know its problem. There are a lot of problems on the ground, especially land acquisition," he said.
President Widodo said he had come to Brebes not only to inaugurate the toll road sections, but would also break the ground for the acceleration of the development of the Pemalang-Batang and Batang-Semarang toll roads.
"They are expected to be completed by 2016," he said.
He further said a toll road will connect the western tip of the Java Island and the eastern tip by the end of 2018.
He added that the government plans to continue the development of toll roads in Sumatra from the eastern part to Aceh so that "goods produced here can be transported everywhere and vice versa."
President Widodo emphasized the importance of monitoring and checking every project.
"Projects must not stop after groundbreaking. All ministers must check to know the development of projects in the field. All finished projects must be of good quality," he said.
ANTARA
