Minister of Public Works and Housing, Basuki Hadimulyono, said the government targeted to complete as long as 769 kilometer of new roads, including the one that lines Java south coast of 158 km. “The roads spanning across the Java south coastlines has to be completed by 2017,” said Basuki in a seminar on infrastructure at Faculty of Engineering UGM on Thursday (15/9).
According to Minister Basuki, the priority is on trans-Sumatera, trans-Kalimatan, trans-Sulawesi and Papua. Other target is construction of toll roads as long as 29 kilometer, irrigation 52,000 kilometer and 39 dams. “In the future there will be 39 dams to be built, 105 water catchments, and 8,000 irrigation networks,” said Basuki.
The Minister said it was not easy to complete infrastructure construction as it relates to land purchase agreement. The minister further said until September, achievement of new infrastructure target is only 46.49 %. Still, “Progress of this year’s work is higher than in last year which was 36.46%,” he said.
The government focuses on 35 strategic areas development, including Borobudur to be integrated with the would-be Kulon Progo airport. “The south coastlines can support the airport presence,” he said. He explained the infrastructure construction is to improve competition and productivity. “In order to be competitive, infrastructure has to be quick, better, but cheaper,” he said.
Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc., Ph.D., said infrastructure development was still the main problem for regions outside Java. According to the Rector, the government and society are expected to accelerate infrastructure construction. But this should also go with human resource development in regions. “Infrastructure development has to be supported by human resource development. And UGM is ready to develop the HR for such infrastructure development,” she said.