President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) expressed belief that the Serang-Panimbang Toll Road would help to leverage economic growth in Banten Province, especially for the districts of Lebak and Pandeglang.
“I believe this will offer a leverage (for boosting the) economic (conditions) in Banten Province, in particular, especially around this toll road, those being the districts of Lebak and Pandeglang,” President Jokowi stated at the Rangkasbitung Toll Gate, Banten, on Tuesday.
The Banten Serang-Panimbang Toll Road project, spanning 83.6 kilometers in length, comprises three sections. It was built through collaboration between PT Wijaya Karya Persero Tbk and the government.
President Jokowi expects all sections of the toll road project to be completed by 2023.
Jokowi also emphasized that connectivity, including through the construction of toll roads, is an important factor to push for regional economic growth.
“This infrastructure will improve the logistics network. Infrastructure will also offer new (impetus) for economic growth,” Jokowi remarked.
The president deemed infrastructure as a foundation for the country to boost economic competitiveness to be better against other countries. Without infrastructure, a country’s logistics costs will increase, which in turn drives up the prices of goods and makes them expensive, he pointed out.
Hence, the Serang-Panimbang Toll Road was expected to boost the competitiveness of Banten’s commodities, thereby boosting the income of people of Banten, the president added.
“This also provides facilities for production. People produce, agriculture produces, plantation produces, (all of them) make their way to consumers, so it will be easier,” the president stated.
Banten Governor Wahidin Halim remarked that the Serang-Panimbang Toll Road will proffer wide-ranging benefits to the people of Banten. He drew attention to a request made by the regional head and also the Banten residents to expedite the process to construct the Serang-Panimbang Toll Road for Section III of the 33-kilometer Cileles-Panimbang toll road.
“Hence, the people’s expectations can be realized,” he remarked.
The three sections of the Serang-Panimbang toll road comprise the 26.5-kilometer-long Section I of Serang-Rangkasbitung and Section II of Rangkasbitung-Cileles spanning 24.1 kilometers. These two sections were built by a consortium, with the majority being PT Wijaya Karya (Persero). The third section, which is the 33-kilometer-long Cileles-Panimbang, was built by the government.
Source: Antara News