Underground road in Tangerang

TANGERANG (JP): The local administration is to construct a Rp 6 billion (US$1.9 million) multilevel underground road to anticipate future traffic congestion in the Cikokol area, an official said.

Spokesman Harry Mulya Zein said Tuesday that the project was designed to help motorists heading to and from the busy Jakarta- Merak highway.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of 1998/1999 fiscal year.

"In the initial phase, we have started land appropriation along Jl. Teuku Umar and Jl. M.H. Thamrin," Harry said.

The local Ministry of Public Works office will provide Rp 5 billion to finance the construction, while the remaining Rp 1 billion will be taken from the local budget. This will be used to pay compensation for those whose land is used.

Harry said the plan was expected to benefit the three million people predicted by the World Bank to be living in Tangerang within the next 10 years. (41/ste)