Skip to main content

Indonesia’s Trans-Sumatra highway inches ahead

Indonesia will form a consortium of state enterprises to build all the 2,700km of the Trans-Sumatra toll highway, from Lampung to Aceh on the island of Sumatra. The finance department is also setting up special infrastructure banks to provide flexible loans for the state departments to fund the project, Indonesian media reported. Indonesia recently changed the law that had the state infrastructure company PT Hutama Karya as the only organisation allowed to build major projects. Other state enterprises can n
March 11, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
RSSIndonesia will form a consortium of state enterprises to build all the 2,700km of the Trans-Sumatra toll highway, from Lampung to Aceh on the island of Sumatra.

The finance department is also setting up special infrastructure banks to provide flexible loans for the state departments to fund the project, Indonesian media reported.

Indonesia recently changed the law that had the state infrastructure company PT 5206 Hutama Karya as the only organisation allowed to build major projects. Other state enterprises can now invest in such projects as part of a strategy to accelerate the construction.

However, an economic and financial feasibility study is yet to be completed for the project that could cost as much as US$23 billion, said public works minister Basuki Hadimujono.

A 2k stretch is already under construction and the government hopes a 16km route around the North Sumatra provincial capital Medan will be open next year.

Sumatra is the largest island that is entirely in Indonesia and the sixth largest island in the world at 480,847.74 km2. More than 50 million people live on Sumatra, including 4.3 million living in and around Medan.

The announcements come just after the central government cancelled what would have been one of the country’s largest ever infrastructure projects, the Sunda Strait Bridge.

The 30km bridge that would have connected the islands of Sumatra and Java at a cost of around $23 billion. The structure -- a dream of Indonesia's political elite since the 1960s -- was to have three lanes of traffic in each direction, twin rail tracks and cabling for telecommunications and electricity.

But in November, President Joko Widodo, recently elected at the time, dumped the megaproject, saying it would benefit only middle class Indonesians. Instead, other options, including buying more ferry ships and upgrading shipping freight ports, will be explored to better connect the two islands.

The proposed bridge was part of the Master Plan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Development formulated by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Howwever, it was left in limbo due to divided opinion among his ministers, especially on how the project should be funded by public and private investors.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Indonesia’s road revamp is seeing new road transport connections
    July 16, 2018
    Indonesia’s road development programme is continuing, with a series of major projects being carried out across the country that will boost transport connections. State funding will help progress on the Trans-Sumatra toll road, paying for six sections of the road link. In all the 1,480km toll road project is expected to cost nearly US$11.85 billion, with state funding paying for a significant portion of the work So far the state-owned construction firm, Hutama Karya, which is building much of the route has
  • Sections nearly ready for Indonesia’s trans-Sumatra route
    March 19, 2019
    Key sections of Indonesia’s important trans-Sumatra highway project are nearly ready for traffic. A 350km stretch that will connect with the city of Palembang should be open shortly. Meanwhile construction of the 141km Bakauheni to Terbanggi Bedar stretch is now starting, with this work being carried out by contractor Hutama Karya. The plans for the 2,765km trans-Sumatra toll road project call for the route to be complete by 2024. This will connect Aceh at the northern end of Sumatra with Lampung on the so
  • Golden opportunities in the MINT - Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey
    May 21, 2015
    Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey – Global Report offers up some food for thought about where smart money might be headed within the next several years – David Arminas writes China’s rate of growth may be slowing down, but other South East Asian companies are being quick to offer alternate investment opportunities, notably Indonesia. Nigeria, too, has had issues with security of investment. But there are signs that the government may be getting serious at last about tightening up rules and regulation
  • Indonesia road project financing signed
    November 23, 2015
    A financing deal has been signed for a portion of a major highway project in Indonesia. The US$91 million loan package has been signed between Indonesian infrastructure financing company, Sarana Multi Infrastrucktur (SMI), and contractor, Hutama Karya. This will help pay for work on the 22km Palembang-Indrayala stretch of the 2,700km Trans Sumatra 2,700km highway project. The funds will be made available in three tranches. Funding from state sources will provide the remaining funds required for the Palemban