REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SABAHBALAU -- Chairman of the country's Regional Representative Council (DPD) Irman Gusman asks for acceleration of the construction of 140 kilometer toll road in Lampung between Bakauheni--Terbanggi Besar.

The toll road is part of the Trans Sumatra toll road that would links the northern and southern tips of Sumatra.

"We are in a recess to see progress in the construction of the toll road project," Irman Gusman said here on Tuesday.

He said there are bottlenecks that need to be removed through cooperation and coordination between related agencies including the public works ministry, the National Land Office (BPN), the office of the state enterprise (BUMN) minister and regional administrations.

He said he would invite the stakeholders to a meeting to discuss ways to remove the bottlenecks that the project could be completed as scheduled in 2018.

The senator from West Sumatra said completion of the toll road has to be completed as scheduled as in 2018, the country will host the Asian Games to be held in Palembang and Jakarta.

Irman said he received an information that land clearing has reached only 50 percent of the land needed for the toll road project in Lampung.

"Hard work, therefore is needed to finish work as scheduled," he said.

He asked the Lampung regional administration to make a map of problems in land clearing to be discussed by the DPD and related agencies in Jakarta and look for a solution to the problem.

Meanwhile, Mashudi, the project leader of PT Waskita Karya, one of the toll road contractors said he hoped that land clearing could be wrapped up as soon as possible that his company could complete the project faster.

"To be frank, work has been hampered over slow progress in land clearing. Land clearing is wrapped up only over 5 kilometers of 41 kilometers of land that need clearing," Mashudi said.

Therefore, he said he hoped DPD could help find a solution to problem in land clearing.

The government has set aside Rp3 trillion for land clearing for the Bakauheni-Terbanggi Besar section of the Trans Sumatra toll road project.

Compensation for lands used for the project was to be paid in March, 2016 and was to be completed in April-May, but no payment has been maid.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika