Govt to establish team to study toll increase
Govt to establish team to study toll increase
JAKARTA (JP): The government will establish an
interdepartmental team to study a possible 30 percent increase in
tolls on major toll roads this year, according to Minister of
Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Erna Witoelar.
Erna said on Tuesday that the team would discuss the amount of
the increase and the timing for its implementation.
"We can no longer decide the increase on our own, the proposal
to increase tolls must be pursued through consultation with
various parties," she said.
The team would consult with the House of Representatives, the
Indonesian Toll Companies Association, the Indonesian
Transportation Society and a number of non-governmental
organizations.
Erna explained that her earlier statement that the government
would likely propose a 30 percent toll increase was not final, as
it would still require the approval of the House.
"There has been no agreement between the government and the
House over the amount of the increase or its timing," she was
quoted by Antara as saying.
Speaking at a hearing with the House of Representatives'
Commission IV on infrastructure, Erna disclosed that the
government wanted to increase tolls by 30 percent.
With the planned increase, the tolls for inner city toll roads
would be raised to Rp 3,500 (about 30 U.S. cents) from Rp 3,000
for cars, vans and minivans.
Meanwhile, the toll for Jagorawi toll road would be raised to
Rp 5,500 from Rp 4,000, and the toll for the Jakarta-Cikampek
toll road would be increased to Rp 9,000 from Rp 6,500.
Responding to the proposal, legislator Enggartiasto Lukito of
the Golkar Party said that the government had better wait until
next year and not increase the tolls this year.
Enggartiasto contended that the government had burdened people
enough with the hike in payments for various utilities, including
electricity, public transportation fares and fuel.
Nevertheless, Erna said, the government wanted to begin to
implement the toll increase in stages this year as tolls had not
been increased since 1992.
She noted that state-owned toll operator PT Jasa Marga and a
number of private toll companies had proposed an increase in
tolls to the government on several occasions, but the government
was still considering the appropriate timing to raise the tolls.
The government, Erna said, could understand the argument
presented by toll companies, namely the increasing overhead
costs, while the toll had remained unchanged in over eight years.
According to Government Regulation No. 40/2001, tolls could be
adjusted to reflect inflation rates every three years, with a
maximum increase of 25 percent.