TEMPO.CO, Solo - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said the construction of the Solo-Sragen section of the Trans Java toll road is to be completed in 2016.

Currently land clearing for the toll road project has been completed, Jokowi said on Saturday.

The toll road section would be completed for operation in the next Idul-fitri, the president said when inspecting the project in Sragen.

Completion of the Sragen-Ngawi section is expected to follow in Dec. 2016, he added.

He hopes that completion of all sections of the Trans Java toll road could be completed by the end of 2016 as earlier expected.

The president said there was no significant problem in land clearing for the Trans Java toll road as most of the lands to be used for the projects are owned by state owned forestry company PT Perhutani.

"It depends only on joint ministerial decision involving three cabinet ministers," he said.

He said when all sections of the Trans Java toll road have been ready for operation traffic jams in various areas in Java could be reduced.

"Logistic costs and prices of goods would be cheaper. Our transport and logistic costs are 2.5 - 3 times higher. Therefore we have to be focused on development of infrastructure," the president said.

ANTARA