JAKARTA. State-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga Tbk is targeting to complete the construction of the Trans Java toll road before Idulfitri, which will fall on July 2017.

The completion of the toll road's construction is deemed necessary to facilitate the people planning to embark on the annual Idulfitri homecoming tradition, or "mudik," to destinations in Central or East Java.

"Data from the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) shows six toll roads can become fully operational and three other functional (roads) can be used by the travelers," Assistant Vice President Corporate Communication of PT Jasa Marga Dwimawan Heru Santoso stated here, Tuesday.

Six toll roads to become operational before Idulfitri, include the Semarang-Solo section III road, in particular the 17.6-kilometer-long toll road between Bawen and Salatiga; 19.9 kilometers Kertosono-Mojokerto section II road; and 0.9 kilometers Bandar-Batas Barat section IV road.

In addition, a toll road will be built to connect Bekasi, Cawang, Kampung Melayu section IB and the 8.28-kilometer-long Pangkaljati-Jaka Sampurna segment, as well as 8.15 kilometers of the Soreang-Pasir Koja road.

The construction of the 13.9-kilometer-long Gempol-Pasuruan section I road will be completed in May, while the Solo-Ngawi section I road, in particular, the 13.8-kilometer-long segment of the Karanganyar-Sragen road will become fully functional in June.

There is an urgent need to complete the construction of 74.2 kilometers of toll roads to handle the increase in the number of private vehicles as compared to public modes of transportation.

As part of the construction project, currently, 50% work of soil compaction has been completed. This stage is required to ensure the required density of land composition.

Jasa Marga is cooperating with the central government to provide the best service for toll road users and to reduce traffic jams, which have become a common problem during "mudik".

Editor: Sanny Cicilia