JALAN TOL - JAKARTA. The government has decided to keep discounts on trans-Jakarta toll roads in place until the Idul Fitri holiday season, as the relevant parties are still calculating the tolls, which are different for each section of the trans-Java highway.
“The trans-Java toll road discount has been extended for the next two months,” said Public Works and Housing Minister Baduki Hadimuljono, on the sidelines of his meeting with lawmakers in Jakarta on Monday.
He said the extension of the discount period aimed to give the government, investors and other relevant parties more time to discuss the tolls.
The discussion of the new fares on the toll roads took time, Basuki said, because many toll road business agencies (BUJT) were involved in the constructions of the toll roads and because the construction projects were implemented at different times.
He cited as an example that the toll for the Jakarta-Cikampek road was only Rp 200 (1.4 US cents) per kilometer, because it was constructed a long time ago; the toll for the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) section was now Rp 700 per km; while the toll for newer roads was between Rp 1,100 and 1,500 per km.
Because of different characteristics, including different investment schemes, the way to calculate the tolls was also different, he added.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo launched operations on the 933-km trans-Java road from the westernmost point of Java Island, Merak in Banten, to Pasuruan in East Java on Dec. 20. When the whole project is completed, it will connect Merak with Banyuwangi in the easternmost part of Java Island, covering a total distance of 1,150 km.
