Sat, 10 Sep 1994

Road upgrading project nears completion

JAKARTA (JP): The road upgrading project stretching 44.6 kilometers linking Jakarta and Cikande is nearing completion, says the head of the West Java branch of PT Hutama Karya.

"We are optimistic that the project will be fully completed next March, one month ahead of schedule," M. Faried said yesterday as quoted by Antara

He said the Rp 11 billion project being financed with aid from OECF (the Japanese Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund) began in April last year. The road, part of the highway historically known as the Daendeles Highway named after the Dutch governor general who built it in early 1900s, encompasses areas in the Tangerang regency and Tangerang township.

Besides handling the project PT Hutama Karya has also won the tender worth more than Rp 11 billion for the upgrading of the 48- km road stretching from Cilegon to Cikande. This project is scheduled to be completed in November 1995.

Faried noted with satisfaction that there were practically no major hitches to impede and hamper the implementation of the project. "This is particularly because of the favorable weather during this current dry season. But if rain had come, it might have impeded everything."

He said in order not to disrupt traffic flow, most of the work is being done at night.

Faried admitted, however, that the scarcity of cement sometimes poses quite a problem. "But we can overcome this, and I'm sure the project will be completed next March."(bas)