Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, has pushed for the completion of the Serang-Panimbang toll road to improve the economy of the people of Banten province.
“For instance, visitors to Tanjung Lesung tourism area can save their trip time. Thus, there will be more visitors,” he said while visiting the Rangkasbitung toll gate as well as the border of Sections 1 and 2 of the highway in Banten province on Thursday, according to a statement issued here.
The construction of the Serang-Panimbang toll road has been divided into three sections: the 26.5-kilometer (km) Section 1 from Serang to Rangkasbitung, 24.17-km Section 2 from Rangkasbitung to Cileles, and the 33-km Section 3 from Cileles to Panimbang.
The Serang-Rangkasbitung section has been operational since its inauguration in November 2021. Meanwhile, the land acquisition process for Sections 2 and 3 is still on.
The coordinating minister said that later he will invite the Public Works and Public Housing Minister, Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Minister, state-run forestry company Perum Perhutani, as well as other stakeholders to assess the problem hindering the toll road’s progress.
The development of infrastructure is important for the advancement of Banten community, especially in Lebak district, he added.
The establishment of the toll road will not only have an economic impact, but can also benefit other sectors, such as education, he said.
“The facility can also support the development of industrial areas and completion of a special economic zone in Tanjung Lesung area,” he told the former head of Lebak district, Mulyadi Jayabaya.
Meanwhile, Jayabaya said that his party has provided around 200 hectares of land for waste management as well as about 10 thousand hectares of land for industrial use.
Pandjaitan said he expected the land grant to have a positive impact since it can help handle the waste problem and create jobs for the community.
“Thus, it can make Banten province become clean and productive,” he added.
Source: Antara News