Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The first toll road is ready to be built in Kalimantan with the parties involved signing a contract to that effect here on Wednesday.

Beijing Urban Construction Group. Ltd., in cooperation with Indonesias state-owned construction company PT Wijaya Karya Tbk. (Wika) and state-owned housing construction company PT Pembangunan Perumahan (PP), signed the contract for the development for the 11-km long fifth section of the toll road between Balikpapan and Samarinda. The signing was witnessed by Public Works Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.

"The 11-km fifth section of the Balikpapan-Sepinggan route is being developed with a national budget and loan from the Chinese government. This is (the pact that was) signed today," Basuki said.

He said the Balikpapan-Samarinda toll road project has been divided into five sections with the first one stretching between Balikpapan-Samgoja (25 km), the second between Samboja-Palaran I, the third between Samboja and Palaran II and the fourth between Palaran and Jembatan Mahkota.

"I appeal that after the signing of the cooperation agreement, field preparations must be carried out immediately although the loan agreement has yet to be settled because after a month, the President will check on its development," he said.

Regarding the construction, the minister said it has been divided into three parts with the first one involving the fifth section being under the responsibility of the central government, the second part which involves the first section being under the responsibility of the regional government and the third part which includes section II,III and IV set to be offered to investors.

He said the construction of section V will be completed in 730 working days or two years.

He said the government through his office would also build a bridge over the Manggar river which is 613 meter long, using funds from the national budget.

"The bridge will be on the first section of the Balikpapan-Samarinda toll road, namely the Balikpapan-Samboja section, and will be built by the WIKA with a contract value of Rp271.83 billion coming from the 2015-2017 national budget," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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