Concession period of JCC projected to 50 years

JAKARTA: Government will grant a concession period of 30-50 years to investors of a Sunda Strait Bridge project to manage the bridge and surrounding areas of Bakauheni, Lampung, and Merak, Banten.Nevertheless, government has not yet determined the fixed concession period the 30-kilometer briedge project as it depends on the negotiation and investors ability, General Director of Infrastructure Development at Public Works Ministry Djoko Murjanto said.A similar statement was also stated by Vice Chairman of the House Commision V Mulyadi that government should provide a concesion period to at least 50 years for investors to manage surrounding areas in Banten and Lampung Ports.PreparationMeanwhile, National Team for Development Preparation of Sunda Strait Bridge has prepared the development plan for Lampung and Banten Provinces having a status of national strategic region (KSN) that will become an economic growth center in Lampung and Banten, as informed by Vice Minister of Public Works Hermanto Dardak.So far, several investors including an investor from South Korea having an experience in constructing an inter-island bridge, Seoul Bridge, confirms their interest for the JSS project.Besides from South Korea, Japan and Malaysia-based investors, as Petronas, has interest to participate in the bridge project that will become Indonesias largest bridge and the worlds second largest bridge.In fact, the bridge project is a megaproject that will attract many private parties to participate. In addition, line of Java-Sumatra is one of economic lines and high strategic trading traffic line.Every year, higher amount of vehicles crossing the line is occurred. In 2009, the amount of four-wheel vehicles advanced to 2.7 million and continued to be higher to 2.9 million in 2010. Even, this year, the total vehicles are estimated to rise by 10% to more than 3 million.Until today, the construction of JSS project is still waiting for a special presidential decree regulating a scheme of Sunda Strait Bridge management. (T01/NOM)