Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono has expressed confidence that the trans-Java toll road will connect Merak Port in Banten to Surabaya in East Java by year-end as a number of the toll road sectors will soon be operational.

“God willing, the toll road will be completed up to Surabaya in 2019. Land [acquisition] is no problem in Surabaya,” he said in Jakarta on Tuesday as reported by kontan.co.id.

In October, according to the Indonesia Toll Road Authority (BPJT), four toll road sections will be in opened, namely Pejagalan-Pemalang, Pemalang-Batang, Surakarta-Ngawi and Ciawi-Sukabumi.

The ministry expects two other toll road sections to open in November, namely Pemalang-Batang, section I and II, and Semarang-Surakarta.

In December, six toll road sections will be completed, namely Batang-Semarang, Ngawi-Kertosono, Kertosono-Mojokerto, Porong-Gempol, Gempol-Pasuruan, Pasuruan-Probolinggo and Bakauheni-Terbanggi Besar.

The government, under the leadership of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, projects the completion of 941 kilometers of toll roads by the end of 2018, while the target up to 2019 is to operate a total of 1,852 kilometers. (bbn)