Jakarta, The Indonesia Post – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has instructed that all functional toll roads be opened to the public during this year’s Eid al-Fitr homecoming period, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said on Wednesday.
According to the ministry’s website, a functional toll road is defined as an under-construction toll road opened temporarily to relieve traffic congestion for a particular period while observing the progress in construction and its capability to cater to traffic.
“As conveyed by Mr. President, all toll roads with functional status must be utilized (for the Eid exodus),” Hadimuljono stated at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta.
He said that residents traveling through the temporarily-opened toll roads during the Eid exodus are not required to pay tolls, as they are operated free of charge.
“Functional status means it is gratis. (For instance), the only active part of the Cisumdawu toll road is the section connecting Sumedang and Cimalaka, while other (incomplete) sections will be free of charge if made functional,” the minister explained.
He also pointed out that another functional toll road that will open during the Eid period is the 67-kilometer Indralaya-Prabumulih toll road in South Sumatra.
Hadimuljono said that his side had improved facilities and implemented measures at various places to ensure the smoothness of Eid travel on toll roads this year.
Its measures included expansion of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road, lane expansion at rest areas on the Cikopo-Palimanan toll road, the development of new rest areas, debottlenecking on the Solo-Yogyakarta access road, and toll fare discount.
Earlier, the Transportation Ministry estimated that some 123.8 million residents would return to their hometowns during this year’s Eid exodus, an increase from 85 million in 2022.
Of the total projected travelers this year, 99.22 million residents are expected to travel by land. (mhn/bbs)
Comment