JAKARTA. A group of masses held demonstration on demanding proper land compensation for Batang-Semarang toll road project. In responding this action, Director of PT Jasa Marga Semarang Batang (JMSB) Parlindungan Saut Simatupang said that the protest will not interrupt the overall work time frame, since the project is conducted under strong legal basis.

Currently, the land price for the toll road project have been defined by independent Office of Public Appraisal Services (KJPP), and subsequently the appraisal result has been delivered to Ministry of Finance and National Land Agency (BPN). 

Saut added that JMSB had consulted with the local residents in setting the land price. To set the price of land, JMSB had consulted with residents. If the residents agree, land procurement team will promptly pay the compensation. Conversely, the residents can file lawsuit  to court if they have objection to the amount of compensation.  

Saut said that recently the procedure to file a lawsuit will not take a long time. However, he did not specify amount of time needed to file a lawsuit. 

So far, there is only 32% of land has been acquired for the 75 kilometer-toll road project. Saut that the construction works will be conducted at the same time with the land acquisition project. 

Although the project construction progress just reached  0.75% of completion, investors of this project are still optimistic that the project will be completed by  the end of 2016.

Land acquisition process of Semarang-Batang toll road project is already running on sections I, II and V. 

Different story with Solo-Ngawi toll road project, land acquisition of the 90.1 kilometer-toll road project has reached 92% of completion. Therefore, the project can start running in September 2016. (Translator: Muhammad Farid)

Editor: Sanny Cicilia