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More Java cities to be connected as work begins on Semarang-Demak toll road
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Gas pipes are moved in Demak, Central Java, in this file photo. The Indonesia Toll Road Authority (BPJT) said the Semarang - Demak toll road was important to boost connectivity from Semarang to Demak and to Gresik and Surabaya in East Java as well as revitalize industrial zones along the route (ANTARA FOTO/Yusuf Nugroho)
T
he construction of the Semarang-Demak toll road will soon kick off and is expected to conclude in 2020, improving connectivity between cities on Java in line with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s infrastructure push.
The 27-kilometer toll road, one of the government’s national strategic projects, will be built in parallel with the construction of a seawall along the coastline beside the toll road route, which can serve as a buffer against coastal flooding that normally hits the area, according to the Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Ministry.
“This is part of the Java toll road network. Today, we will start the toll road development on the northern route of Java from Semarang to Surabaya, with the initial stage of development being that from Semarang to Demak. The toll road will be integrated with the seawall to prevent floods in Semarang,” said PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.
After Semarang – Demak, the northern Java coastal toll road will be extended to Kudus, Pati, Rembang, Lasem and Tuban to eventually reach Surabaya, hence the trans-Java toll road network will extend from Merak in Banten to Pasuruan in East Java.
Therefore, the northern coastal toll road of Java would complement and extend the separate 1,167-km trans-Java toll road project, Basuki added.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who was raised in Semarang, said the seawall and toll road would play a significant role for Semarang to prevent coastal flooding that had happened repeatedly in Semarang and its surrounding areas over the years.
“The seawall will be so useful for people living on the northern coast of Java, thus preventing areas being submerged through coastal floods. It will also improve the living quality of people who live with yearly flooding,” she added.
