Kebon Jeruk-Panjaringan toll road project starts

JAKARTA (JP): The construction of the 9.7-kilometer toll road from Kebon Jeruk in West Jakarta to Penjaringan in North Jakarta officially began yesterday.

The turnpike will connect the Jakarta-Tangerang toll road in Meruya, Kebon Jeruk to the Jl. Prof. Dr. Sedyatmo toll road in Penjaringan.

The construction, targeted for completion in three years, is part of the 60-kilometer Jakarta outer ring road project.

Fatchur Rohman, the director of PT Jakarta Lingkar Baratsatu, the project's investor, acknowledged yesterday that the project may be among the most costly so far, in comparison to similar undertakings.

The total investment amounts to Rp 830 billion (US$360.87 million), or over Rp 85.50 billion per kilometer.

The costs do not include land appropriation, which was conducted by the government four years ago, Fatchur told reporters.

"The project is expensive, because part of the project is elevated and is erected on soft soil," he said after the ceremony, officiated by Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar.

In comparison, for instance, the planned 19.5 kilometer Cawang-Bekasi elevated toll road is priced at Rp 1.5 trillion, or Rp 76.9 billion per kilometer.

The project's funds are partly derived from equity, in addition to a loan from a syndication of local banks led by Bank BNI, which includes Bank Exim, Bank Duta and Bank Umum Koperasi Indonesia (Bukopin).

The project includes two junctions in Kebon Jeruk and Penjaringan, three overpasses in Kayu Besar, Kapuk Kamal and Kembangan, four entrance and exit ramps and one elevated track from Rawa Buaya to Daan Mogot in West Jakarta.

It is a joint cooperation on a build-operation-transfer basis between the state-owned toll road company, PT Jasa Marga, and PT Jakarta Lingkar Baratsatu, with a concession of 30 years.

Radinal said the contractors and supervising parties must work "in harmony."

Any perceived problem must be settled as soon as possible, he said.

The involved parties must give attention to all matters, including construction material and the quality of personnel, he said.

The ceremony was also attended by the city's head of the public works agency, who represented Governor Surjadi Soedirdja. (anr)