REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LAMPUNG -- The construction of the 400-kilometer-long Lampung-Pelembang toll road has made progress since its groundbreaking ceremony held some two months ago, President Joko Widodo said.

"There has been progress. The toll road is being developed in four sections. While only two kilometers of some sections have been developed, others have seen progress of four and seven kilometers," the president stated while inspecting the project in Sabah Balau village, Tanjung Bintang sub-district, South Lampung district, on Saturday.

The Lampung-Palembang toll road project in Sumatra is different from other infrastructure projects, including toll road projects in other regions, Jokowi, as he is fondly called, added.

According to the head of state, Indonesia's law number 29/2012 on land procurement simplifies the implementation of infrastructure development.

"A project can be started as soon as the decision on land is made. It can all be done simultaneously," Jokowi remarked.

He further noted that this system was different from that used in the construction of the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) toll road in West Java, for which land clearance took six years and its construction, 2.5 years.

Jokowi also pointed out that they expect the construction of the Lampung-Palembang toll road to be completed by 2018, before the South Sumatran province (Palembang) is set to host the Asian Games.

Earlier, President Jokowi had inaugurated the 116.7-kilometer-long Cipali toll road in Purwakarta, West Java.

Work on the Cipali project commenced with its ceremonial groundbreaking in December 2011 by the then public works minister Djoko Kirmanto.

The development of the toll road was carried out by PT Lintas Marga Sedaya, with 55 percent of the shares owned by PLUS Expressways Berhard and 45 percent by PT Baskhara Utama Sedaya, along with a total investment of Rp12.56 trillion and a concession period of 35 years.

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