Motorists oppose toll hike for expressways<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Several motorists opposed the planned increase
\nof tolls on major toll roads to 30 percent, saying toll road
\noperators should first improve their services.<\/p>\n
\"It is not right if the toll road operators increase the tolls
\nwithout first improving their services,\" Christ Muktijono, an
\nemployee of M-Web, an Internet company, said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He said once the lights on the toll road between the Manggala
\nWanabakti toll booth to Pancoran were not turned on although it
\nwas raining heavily.<\/p>\n
\"A car in front of me skidded and almost hit the center strip.
\nIt was very dark,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Christ's colleague Said, however, said: \"The service is not
\nbad but please don't raise the tolls now.\"<\/p>\n
He said even if the raise is less than 30 percent, motorists
\nwho use toll roads every day would have to spend much more every
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Said who lives in Bintaro, South Jakarta, takes the Pondok
\nPinang-Tanjung Barat toll road to go to his office in Tanjung
\nBarat.<\/p>\n
Helmy Anam, an employee of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide,
\nresides in Cijantung, East Jakarta, and uses the Pondok Indah
\ntoll road to commute. Her office is on Jl. Sudirman, South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"I have to take the toll road to avoid the three-in-one zone
\nand the traffic congestion,\" she added.<\/p>\n
\"Why do they want to increase the tolls anyway? Their service
\nis not really good. There are potholes along some toll roads, and
\nsigns warning motorists of road work are not put far away enough
\nfrom the repair work,\" she complained.<\/p>\n
Earlier reports said an interdepartmental team is studying a
\npossible 30 percent increase in tolls on major toll roads.<\/p>\n
According to the plan, tolls on intracity toll roads for
\nprivate vehicles will be raised to Rp 3,500 (about 30 U.S. cents)
\nfrom Rp 3,000.<\/p>\n
The toll for the Jagorawi toll road will be raised from Rp
\n4,000 to Rp 5,500, and the toll for the Jakarta-Cikampek toll
\nroad will be increased from Rp 6,500 to Rp 9,000.<\/p>\n
An executive of the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI),
\nAgus Pambagio, said the increase was not imperative at the
\nmoment.<\/p>\n
He believed state-owned PT Jasa Marga and other private toll
\nroad operators were enjoying \"more than enough\" profits from the
\nhigh number of motorists using the toll roads everyday.<\/p>\n
He said toll road operators and the Ministry of Settlement and
\nRegional Infrastructure should first publicly account for the
\nalleged irregularities in the management of the toll roads.<\/p>\n
\"Some sections of toll roads outside Jakarta are narrow. Also
\nwe have reports that contractors of the toll road project
\nconnecting Jakarta and Merak are not using good quality asphalt,
\nbut instead inferior materials and remnants from a project in
\nKrakatau Steel,\" Agus said.<\/p>\n
\"So somebody should explain where all the profits the
\noperators have been making for years have gone too.\"<\/p>\n
Agus stressed that the operators should also explain why so
\nmuch of money was needed for the building and maintenance of toll
\nroads. (emf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/motorists-oppose-toll-hike-for-expressways-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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