REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JOMBANG -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated four sections of trans-Java toll roads in East Java, in a ceremony in the Jombang Bandar Kedungmulyo Toll Road area, in order to welcome the Christmas and New Year holidays. He believed that the Surabaya-Jakarta or Jakarta-Surabaya toll road can truly bring benefit and make commuting easier, faster, and cheaper.

"People will have alternatives to take the toll road or the old road," the president stated at the inauguration at Jombang district on Thursday.

The four toll roads in East Java that the president inaugurated included Ngawi-Kertosono Wilangan-Kertosono section, with a length of 39.1 kilometers; Kertosono-Mojokerto section four, along 0.9 kilometers; relocation of Porong-Gempol (Porong-Kejapanan), along 6,3 kilometers; Gempol-Pasuruan section three (Pasuruan-Grati), along 12.2 kilometers.

In addition, Jokowi will also inaugurate another toll road segments, namely the 33-kilometer-long Pemalang-Batang section (SS Pemalang-Batang); Semarang-Solo section four and five (Salatiga-Kartasura), along 32.5 kilometers; and Batang-Semarang section 1-5, along 75 kilometers.

During the inauguration, Jokowi was accompanied by First Lady Iriana Jokowi and a number of ministers, including Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljo, Minister of BUMN Rini Sumarno, East Java Governor Soekarwo, and a number of other officials.

The president emphasized that the toll road that connects Surabaya and Jakarta can provide convenience to the community. People can choose the desired alternative path to avoid congestion.

President Joko Widodo (left) accompanied by PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono (center) and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung (right) oversees Trans Java toll road at Interchange Bandar, Jombang, East Java, Thursday (Dec 20).

Jokowi conducted a toll road trial after the inauguration. The president's entourage used the land route by bus via the Trans-Java toll road today. The segment to be crossed is from Surabaya to Semarang.

Previously, Jokowi inaugurated the Jombang-Mojokerto toll road in 2017. The line is now quite crowded, because it further shortens the route to Surabaya.

The inauguration of the toll road can also be an effort to reduce congestion, especially in the intersection of the city. The line is an arterial line from Kediri and Nganjuk.

Hence, there is often a buildup of vehicles, both from the direction of Nganjuk and the direction of Surabaya. The accumulation of vehicles can be seen especially during religious holidays and other long national holidays.

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