Surabaya-Madura bridge project to start soon

Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

After a series of long delays, the construction of a 5.43-km-long bridge connecting Surabaya and Madura island in East Java will start immediately, marked by a commencement ceremony slated to be led by President Megawati Soekarnoputri

House Deputy Speaker A.M. Fatwa, who visited the city on Wednesday, said the date for the ceremony would be decided after Governor Imam Utomo had met the President.

"Today (Wednesday), the President held a meeting with the governor at Merdeka Palace to discuss the planned construction of the bridge.

"Accompanying them was Minister of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno. So, let's just await the result of the meeting," Fatwa told reporters here after holding a meeting with East Java Deputy Governor Imam Supardi at the latter's office.

Fatwa added that the bridge, to be known as "Suramadu", was essential to help improve economic activities between Surabaya and Madura.

"The central government must remember that this province has allocated Rp 40 trillion (US$40 million) annually over the last three years to help develop the bridge, but it has only earned some Rp 8 trillion in regional income.

"The limited budget has caused many in Madura to have a low standard of living," Fatwa added.

Since last year, several legislators, especially those from East Java, have called on the government to honor its promise to build the bridge, considering that it was an important project that would produce advantages for the local economy.

The idea for a bridge was initiated in 1990 when then president Soeharto assigned the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology to form a consortium to handle it. More than a decade later, nothing had been developed.

It was estimated that construction of the Suramadu bridge would cost Rp 2.16 trillion ($216 million).

The project was suspended for a decade due to financial as well as social problems. Many Madurese openly objected to the plan through fear that the bridge would over-accelerate development in Madura, which would bring with it social problems, such as prostitution.

According to Fatwa, the government of Kuwait has promised to provide $150 million to assist the development project.

Meanwhile, Imam said that the central government had allocated some Rp 25 billion of the state budget toward its construction, in addition to some Rp 75 billion allocated from the provincial state budget.

"We are awaiting approval from the President to start construction," Imam said.