Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has expressed the hope that Nan Sarunai Road in Tabalong District, South Kalimantan Province, will bolster the growth of the local economy.
"I think it is good that this (road) will be able to create new centers of economic growth in Tabalong District," he remarked after inaugurating the Simpang 4 Islamic Center - Tanjung Selatan section of the Nan Sarunai Road on Friday.
As per a statement released by the Presidential Secretariat, the road spans 4.2 kilometers (km) in length.
The government spent Rp104 billion (US$6.71 million) from the National Economic Recovery (PEN) fund to build the infrastructure, which was completed in one year.
There has been a significant increase in economic growth in Tabalong Regency over the past two years, with the figure climbing from 3.27 percent in 2021 to 5.30 percent in 2022, as reported by the head of Tabalong District, Anang Syakhfiani, Widodo noted.
Meanwhile, the head of Tabalong District’s Public Works and Spatial Planning Office, Wibawa Agung Subrata, said he expected the road, which has 12 bridges, to improve accessibility and cut travel time, thereby easing public mobility.
"The community is expected to optimize the utilization of the road as it can be used to facilitate health services and (transport) plantations (products). It can also become an access for children to reach their schools,” he added.
Earlier, Widodo also inaugurated the installation of the Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) of Banjarbakula in Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan, on Friday.
The Banjarbaru SPAM, which has an intake capacity of 1,200 liters per second, will serve as a source of raw water for the Banjarbakula Water Treatment Plant, with a capacity of 750 liters per second; PT Intan Banjar Drinking Water Treatment Plant, with a capacity of 170 liters per second; and PT Bandarmasih Drinking Water Treatment Plant, with a capacity of 280 liters per second.
Overall, the water from Banjarbaru SPAM will serve 60,353 households, or 301,765 people.
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