RRI.CO.ID, Jambi - Construction of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road continues as Indonesian Vice President (VP) Gibran Rakabuming Raka reviewed the construction progress of its part Betung-Jambi Toll Road, which connects South Sumatra and Jambi provinces, on Thursday, 16 July 2026. The country's Vice Presidential Secretariat said on its website that it was part of the government's commitment, in accordance with President Prabowo Subianto's direction, to strengthen inter-regional connectivity and stimulate economic growth.

On that occasion, VP Gibran inspected the progress of the Betung-Jambi section, connecting Betung town in Banyuasin Regency and the city of Jambi. The inspection was conducted to ensure that strategic infrastructure development is on track, strengthening interregional connectivity and supporting efficient public mobility and logistics distribution.

During the inspection, Iwan Hermawan, Director of Operations III of a state-owned construction company and the toll road operator Hutama Karya, outlined the construction progress and the benefits the community will experience once the toll road is operational. He stated that the toll road will significantly reduce travel time and distance.

"In terms of benefits, this toll road has already made travel more efficient. So, from this point to that point, it used to take five hours, if there was no traffic, but it could be longer. Now, it can only take two hours if we use this toll road. The distance, from 210 to 170 kilometers, represents a reduction of about 40 kilometers," Iwan said.

Iwan added that the toll road will also strengthen connectivity between Jambi Province and South Sumatra, thereby improving the smooth flow of trade and helping to reduce congestion. Furthermore, he said that the construction of toll roads also opens up opportunities to utilize idle land along the road to support agriculture.

"With this toll road, there will be an area of underutilized land that can be converted into agricultural land, approximately 896 thousand hectares," he later explained.

According to him, the Betung-Jambi toll road will also be an alternative route for public travel and will also encourage economic growth in Jambi. He expected that an alternative route for traffic from the south side of Batanghari to the north side exists when the highway is completed, thus further stimulating Jambi's economy.

"We will ensure that construction progress is on schedule, ensuring completion on target and the community truly feels the benefits," Gibran said after Hutama Karya's explanation.

After receiving the presentation, the VP directly inspected the Betung-Jambi Toll Road segment by driving along the route currently under construction. He want to ensure that the construction, one of the Indonesia's "National Strategic Project", is proceeding according to plan.

The Betung–Jambi Toll Road is approximately 170 kilometers long. To date, 52 kilometers of the toll road have been completed, with the entire project targeted for completion next year.