Cost of Sunda Strait bridge may balloon to US$18.87 billion

Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/27/2010 10:24 AM

The construction of the Sunda Strait bridge, which, if completed, will be the longest suspension bridge in the world, may cost as much as Rp 170 trillion (US$18.87 billion), almost double the initial estimate of $11 billion, an official said.

Feasibility studies revealed the huge price tag, which, according to Syahrial Loetan, the main secretary of the National Development Planning Agency, is subject to change.

The Sunda Strait bridge will connect Java and Sumatra with an approximate length of 30 kilometers, according to the planning agency.

The bridge width will be 60 meters, with six lanes for traffic and double-track railways, based on the official website.

Gas and oil pipes, fiber-optic cables and electricity cables will be built into the length of the bridge.

The planning agency said the Sunda Strait bridge is needed as the only existing transportation, ferries, can no longer support economic development in both islands.

The construction of the bridge was initiated by PT Bangungraha Sejahtera Mulia, a subsidiary of the Artha Graha Group owned by tycoon Tomy Winata. A national team led by Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa is now responsible for preliminary studies into the bridge’s construction.

The bridge is expected to take at least 10 years to build, said Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah.

The planning agency expects construction to start in 2012.

Because a large amount of funds is needed to construct the bridge, the agency has included it as part of the public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the 2010-2014 period worth $47.3 billion in total.

Hatta said he has offered construction of the bridge to Chinese investors, but as yet no decision has been announced.

Syahrial is optimistic foreign investors will want to invest in this ambitious project. “Our economic growth is high compared to other countries. With stable macroeconomic conditions Indonesia can be the right place for global investors,” he said.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he expects private investors to participate in the bridge construction.

The government “has taken comprehensive moves to create a better investment climate,” he said, adding that Indonesia has improved infrastructure over the past five years.

Indonesia’s economy grew by 4.5 percent in 2009, according to the Central Statistics Agency. The government expects economic growth will hit 5.8 percent this year.