Rp 85b to be allocated for Suramadu bridge project

Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

The Indonesian government has agreed to allocate Rp 85 billion (US$8.5 million) for the construction of the 5.43-kilometer Suramadu toll bridge which will connect the East Java capital of Surabaya with the island of Madura, according to Governor Imam Utomo.

Speaking at a meeting with representatives from the Surabaya mayor's office and Madura municipal officials here on Thursday, Imam said that the money would be the first allocation towards the total construction cost, which is expected to reach at least Rp 2.08 trillion, plus Rp 73.8 billion for land acquisition.

"Rp 60 billion of the Rp 85 billion will be from the 2002 provincial budget ... for land acquisition," he said. "The remaining Rp 25 billion for the construction of part of the bridge, will come from the central government's 2002 budget."

East Java provincial spokesman Gunarto said separately that the 21-meter-wide Suramadu bridge would cover a total of 7.85 hectares of land in Surabaya, and another 35 hectares in Madura. A 6.6 hectare of land has been acquired in Surabaya, and 5.8 hectares in Madura.

In Surabaya, the project would start at the Tambak Wedi subdistrict in Kenjeran coastal area, and will end in Bangkalan regency in the island of Madura.

According to Governor Imam, President Megawati Soekarnoputri is scheduled to officiate the opening of the project by laying the corner stone for the bridge in mid-February, or early March in Surabaya.

With one-year preparation work, including the land acquisition process, it will take about four years to complete the project.

However, the money to finance the whole project has yet to be made available.

Gunarto said that, in the future, the central government, local administrations and the private sector will be expected to jointly finance completion of the project.

"The state-owned toll road construction company is expected to contribute Rp 300 billion, local administrations (East Java province, Surabaya mayoralty and all regencies in Madura) Rp 558.7 billion, the central government Rp 1 trillion, and another Rp 350 billion is expected from the public," Gunarto said.

"The bridge will be part of the Surabaya urban toll road network from Waru flyover to Tanjung Perak port," Imam said.

"Hopefully, the Suramadu bridge will not merely smooth ground transportation from Surabaya to Madura," he continued.

The bridge, he added, will also help the Madurese economy "in line with the East Java plan to move its container port from Tanjung Perak to Madura; the port handles at least 1.3 million containers annually."