The government is preparing the construction of a number of toll roads for the period 2020-2024. Director General (Dirjen) of Bina Marga Sugiyartanto said that for the next five years the continuation of the construction of the Trans Sumatra toll road will be a priority, but toll road sections on other islands will also receive serious attention such as the construction of the Pontianak-Singkawang toll road in West Kalimantan.

"In the future, the Pontianak-Singkawang toll road (to be built), the development study plan is already quite feasible because there will also be a large port in Singkawang," said Sugiyartanto after speaking at the Indonesian Toll Road Association Coordination Meeting (ATI Coordination Meeting) in Jakarta, Monday (29 / 4).

He added, in addition to the existence of the Port of Beijing, Pontianak's position as the capital of West Kalimantan which is the National Activity Center (PKN) was considered to have fulfilled the 144 km toll road construction requirements.

"If only relying on land transportation that is on the national road is now too small to contribute to activities there, so it is expensive because of the long travel time," he continued.

On the same occasion, the Director General of Highways also revealed plans to construct a toll road in the Mandalika National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The planned area will be the venue for the MOTOGP race in 2021, currently in preparation for conducting a feasible study.

Sugiyartanto claimed he had been called by the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) to discuss the toll road development plan. The feasibility study is expected to last for six months and then design is followed. In the design, location or tract determination, the Directorate General (DG) of Bina Marga seeks to minimize productive land acquisition.

"The FS does not take a year, six months are also finished. We are anticipating an important block to reduce (release) productive land, "said Sugiyartanto.

Commenting on questions related to the possible location of the Mandalika toll road close to the beach, the Director General of Highways said that this was not an obstacle. According to him, the current construction techniques can overcome these challenges.

"Near the beach is a matter of construction choices, not an obstacle, it must be seen later in terms of the results of soil testing, earthquake potential, high tide levels for example, then where to slide, what construction choices, then for example the consequences are high so the costs are then the question is it feasible or not (financially), what matters is whether or not there is funds, "explained the Director General of Highways. (KompuBM)