Restriction of Vehicles at MBZ Toll is not Related to Construction Quality
Prohibition of large vehicles crossing the MBZ Toll was discussed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Police, and BPJT.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Director of Indonesian Land Transport Polytechnic (PTDI) of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub), Pandu Yunianto, explained that the restriction of vehicles crossing Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Toll Road (MBZ), West Java, has nothing to do with the quality problems of the structure of the overpass.
Pandu, who was the Director of Road Traffic of the Ministry of Economic Affairs when the process of raking and completing the MBZ Jakarta-Cikampek (Japek) II Elevated Road Toll Road Cikunir-Karawang, said that the restriction of vehicles is not related to the construction of the overpass.
“Related to the structure we don't know, so our consideration is not related to the structure issue. The consideration is the safety aspect and the smooth aspect,” Pandu said when he was presented as a witness in the corruption case of the MBZ Overpass construction project at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday (21/5/2024).
Pandu explained that the ban on large vehicles, namely buses and trucks has been discussed in a joint meeting between the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Korlantas Polri, and the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT). The results of the meeting were then made a recommendation that should be implemented before the MBZ Overpass Toll officially operated in 2019.
The consideration, according to Pandu, is the data of accident cases that are on the motorway. At that time, he added, quite a lot of toll accidents were caused by trucks and buses. In addition, another consideration is the absence of emergency lanes for problem vehicles in the derivative section of the MBZ Overpass Toll.
“We're not talking about construction or structures, but we're looking at the conditions. Where on KM 47 there is no place for emergency conditions, emergency lanes, so that in case of an accident it will be more severe,” Pandu said.
“At KM (kilometer) 47 there is a Japek toll road traffic confluence down the track. So that if a bus or truck is allowed to go through the top, then it encounters an obstacle, it will slide down and it endangers other vehicles,” Pandu explained.
In that case, the KPK prosecutor alleged that there had been a state financial loss of Rp 510 billion in the construction project of the MBZ Toll Road. The loss was caused by former President Director (Dirut) of PT Jasamarga Jalan Layang Cikampek (JJC) Djoko Dwijono, Chairman of PT JJC Auction Committee Yudhi Mahyudin, Operational Director of PT Bukaka Teknik Utama Sofiah Balfas, and Bridge Expert Staff of PT LAPI Ganeshatama Consulting Tony Budianto Sihite.