Unsold Getaci Toll Road Auction Leads to Budget Reallocation to Dams

JAKARTA - The continuation of the Gedebage-Tasikmalaya-Cilacap (Getaci) toll road project, touted as Indonesia’s longest toll road, still shows no significant progress. The project has faced delays since the early 2020s and has yet to attract investor interest for auction. Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo revealed that the low interest is generally due to low projected vehicle traffic (traffic). Dody explained that in toll road infrastructure projects, traffic levels are the primary factor determining investor interest. If traffic is deemed low, the government usually needs to provide funding support or chip in to make the project financially attractive. However, he added that the current government budget conditions limit the room for such support. As a result, the government must reconsider the priorities of projects to be promoted. According to him, the government is now faced with a choice between continuing support for the Getaci toll road or accelerating other infrastructure deemed more urgent. “Is it better for us to chip in on Getaci or accelerate the construction of Cibeet and Cijurey so that Karawang and Bekasi do not flood again in the future,” he said. On the other hand, the government is prioritising the construction of the Cibeet and Cijurey dams, which function for flood control, particularly in the Karawang and Bekasi areas. Dody targets both dam projects to be completed in stages over the next few years. He emphasised that accelerating dam construction is important, given the flood risks still threatening the area if the projects are not completed soon. “With my own eyes, if that is not completed soon, I worry that Karawang and Bekasi will flood again,” said Dody.