Govt to establish team to study toll increase<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government will establish an
\ninterdepartmental team to study a possible 30 percent increase in
\ntolls on major toll roads this year, according to Minister of
\nSettlement and Regional Infrastructure Erna Witoelar.<\/p>\n
Erna said on Tuesday that the team would discuss the amount of
\nthe increase and the timing for its implementation.<\/p>\n
"We can no longer decide the increase on our own, the proposal
\nto increase tolls must be pursued through consultation with
\nvarious parties," she said.<\/p>\n
The team would consult with the House of Representatives, the
\nIndonesian Toll Companies Association, the Indonesian
\nTransportation Society and a number of non-governmental
\norganizations.<\/p>\n
Erna explained that her earlier statement that the government
\nwould likely propose a 30 percent toll increase was not final, as
\nit would still require the approval of the House.<\/p>\n
"There has been no agreement between the government and the
\nHouse over the amount of the increase or its timing," she was
\nquoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a hearing with the House of Representatives'
\nCommission IV on infrastructure, Erna disclosed that the
\ngovernment wanted to increase tolls by 30 percent.<\/p>\n
With the planned increase, the tolls for inner city toll roads
\nwould be raised to Rp 3,500 (about 30 U.S. cents) from Rp 3,000
\nfor cars, vans and minivans.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the toll for Jagorawi toll road would be raised to
\nRp 5,500 from Rp 4,000, and the toll for the Jakarta-Cikampek
\ntoll road would be increased to Rp 9,000 from Rp 6,500.<\/p>\n
Responding to the proposal, legislator Enggartiasto Lukito of
\nthe Golkar Party said that the government had better wait until
\nnext year and not increase the tolls this year.<\/p>\n
Enggartiasto contended that the government had burdened people
\nenough with the hike in payments for various utilities, including
\nelectricity, public transportation fares and fuel.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Erna said, the government wanted to begin to
\nimplement the toll increase in stages this year as tolls had not
\nbeen increased since 1992.<\/p>\n
She noted that state-owned toll operator PT Jasa Marga and a
\nnumber of private toll companies had proposed an increase in
\ntolls to the government on several occasions, but the government
\nwas still considering the appropriate timing to raise the tolls.<\/p>\n
The government, Erna said, could understand the argument
\npresented by toll companies, namely the increasing overhead
\ncosts, while the toll had remained unchanged in over eight years.<\/p>\n
According to Government Regulation No. 40\/2001, tolls could be
\nadjusted to reflect inflation rates every three years, with a
\nmaximum increase of 25 percent.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-to-establish-team-to-study-toll-increase-1447893297",
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