Jakarta - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) seeks to continue to improve supervision of the fulfillment of Minimum Service Standards (SPM) by Toll Road Business Entities (BUJT) to ensure the safety and security of toll road users.

"The PUPR Ministry also asks all toll road operators to increase routine patrols to find potential disturbances to the operation of toll roads and traffic along toll road corridors in accordance with the applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)," said the Director General of Highways at the PUPR Ministry. Hedy Rahadian in a press conference in Jakarta, Monday (19/9/2022).

Hedy added that the PUPR Ministry also asked operators to cooperate intensively with local governments and communities along toll road corridors to reduce the risk of disturbances originating from various socio-economic activities that could affect or even pose a danger to toll road users.

This follows a series of accidents on Sunday (18/9/2022) that occurred on the Pejagan-Pemalang Toll Road KM253, one of which was triggered by thick smoke caused by burning rice fields/fields/weeds on the edge of the toll road. Hedy said the PUPR Ministry conveyed its deep condolences for the accident which resulted in 1 fatality and 19 injuries.

"We ask BUJTs to install CCTV at vulnerable points on toll roads to catch events that are not caught by patrol officers. For example, locations where land burning often occurs will be installed with CCTV," said Hedy.

Hedy said that the PUPR Ministry gave full support to the Central Java Regional Police and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) who were conducting further investigations into the causes and chronology of the traffic accidents.

"The Ministry of PUPR invites and urges all toll road users to always be careful when driving by following applicable regulations, including not exceeding the speed limit, not using the shoulder of the road, not following from the left, resting when tired, maintaining a steady vehicle condition, and pay attention to traffic signs and instructions from officers in the field," said Hedy.

Head of the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) of the PUPR Ministry, Danang Parikesit, said that traffic accidents are also often caused by high speeds exceeding the limits of toll users. For this reason, Danang said the PUPR Ministry also asked BUJTs to increase the installation of CCTV cameras with adequate density.

"Currently, we are in the process of installing speed monitoring cameras in all toll roads, including the installation of CCTV cameras. We ask BUJT to install speed cameras to monitor speed," said Danang.

In addition, Danang said BUJT was also asked to increase supervision and increase the speed of reaction to special conditions, such as the impact of smoke from burning rice fields as happened on the Pejagan-Pemalang toll road section.

Also present at the event were Expert Staff of the Minister of PUPR for Technology, Industry and Environment, Endra S. Atmawidjaja, Secretary of BPJT Triono Junoasmono, and Head of the Public Communication Bureau Pantja Dharma Oetojo. (*)

Public Communication Bureau
Ministry of PUPR