By Romel S. Gurky
State toll road operator PT Jasa Marga (Persero) Tbk (IDX: JSMR) said it is in the final stage of completing the first phase of the Probolinggo, Situbondo, Banyuwangi (Prosiwangi) toll road, East Java, with the 49.68 kilometer Paiton to Besuki section undergoing operational feasibility testing ahead of its opening.
The company, through subsidiary PT Jasamarga Probolinggo Banyuwangi (JPB), said construction of Section 1 Gending to Kraksaan, spanning 12.88 km, and Section 2 Kraksaan to Paiton, spanning 11.20 km, has been completed and has obtained operational feasibility certificates.
Section 3 Paiton to Besuki, which stretches 25.60 km, has also completed construction of its main carriageway. All construction works were finished in April, with the project now undergoing administrative completion and operational feasibility testing before entering service.
Jasa Marga President Director Rivan A. Purwantono said the toll road is expected to improve connectivity across East Java and support the movement of goods from the Tapal Kuda region, including agricultural products, fisheries and small and medium sized enterprises, while improving access to tourist destinations.
The company said travel time between Probolinggo and Besuki is expected to fall to about one hour and 15 minutes from around two hours. Travel time between Probolinggo and Banyuwangi is projected to decline to about three hours from around five hours via the national road network.
Jasa Marga said the project is also expected to improve logistics access to the Paiton industrial area in Probolinggo Regency and Ketapang Port, the main ferry gateway linking Java and Bali, while supporting tourism destinations including Ijen Crater, Baluran National Park, Situbondo’s Pasir Putih Beach and Banyuwangi.
The Prosiwangi toll road forms part of Indonesia’s national strategic projects and is expected to complete the toll road corridor linking Jakarta with the eastern tip of Java before connecting onward to Bali.
Editing by Alexander Ginting
