Chinese deputy PM visits bridge project

ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya, Mon, 12/22/2008 11:05 AM, Headlines

Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Li Keqiang inspected a bridge project in East Java on Sunday to consider a further loan of US$68.93 million for the bridge, which connects Java and Madura.

"The visit is part of a planned disbursement of the second stage of the loan by the Chinese government," head of Suramadu bridge development Atyanto Busono said in Surabaya.

Atyanto said the Chinese government, through Bank Exim of China, had earlier provided the first-stage loan of US$160.2 million for the national project.

He said the disbursement of the second-stage loan was originally scheduled for October but had been postponed because of the global financial crisis.

"Moreover, Bank Exim of China requires a new progress report on the project," Atyanto said.

He said the loan would be used to finance the completion of the main span, which is now having box girders installed, and to purchase stayed cables.

The province-owned Bank Jatim earlier provided a bridging loan of Rp 50 billion (US$4.5 million) to continue the development of the 5.4-kilometer bridge while waiting for the payment from China, he said.

The bridge is being developed in three parts; the Surabaya causeway (1.4 kilometers), the Madura causeway (1.8 kilometers) and the main span (2.1 kilometers).

Atyanto said the Surabaya causeway was 99.80 percent complete and the Madura causeway 99.23 percent complete.

"So far, the development of the middle part or main span of the bridge has reached 81.74 percent," Atyanto said, adding that overall, the bridge was 88.46 percent complete and access roads on either side of the bridge were 90 percent complete.

The total cost of the project, which is due for completion next year, is Rp 5.4 trillion.

Once completed, the bridge, whose construction was inaugurated by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri in 2003, will be the longest in the country.