President Joko Widodo officiates the opening of key toll road sections in North Sumatra, enhancing transportation connectivity and economic growth prospects.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially launched the Tebing Tinggi-Indrapura and the Indrapura-Limapuluh toll road sections in North Sumatra Province on 7 February 2024, as part of the Trans-Sumatra toll road project aimed at improving connectivity to the Lake Toba tourist area and the Sei Mangkei Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
According to a statement from the Presidential Secretariat, President Jokowi emphasized that the Tebing Tinggi-Indrapura toll road, spanning 20.4 kilometers, and the Indrapura-Limapuluh toll road section, covering 15.6 kilometers, were constructed with government funds totaling Rp3.06 trillion (US$190 million) and Rp1.67 trillion (US$106 million) respectively.
The newly inaugurated toll road sections are expected to enhance transportation connectivity to Lake Toba’s tourism area and facilitate faster logistics movement to the Kuala Tanjung Port and various economic activities associated with the Sei Mangkei SEZ.
President Jokowi expressed optimism that the toll roads would stimulate investment interest in the region, leveraging the abundant potentials of North Sumatra Province for economic development.
Additionally, the president believes that the operation of these toll roads will attract more tourists to Lake Toba and its surroundings while reducing logistics costs to the Kuala Tanjung Port and Sei Mangkei SEZ, thus enhancing regional competitiveness and fostering new business growth and employment opportunities.
Accompanying President Jokowi during the inauguration were Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Chairman of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) Meutya Hafid, and other regional officials, signaling the government’s commitment to bolstering infrastructure development for economic progress.
Source: Antara News
