Brebes, Central Java, ABIM (24/10/2023) – By means of assessments and evaluations of toll road service quality and rest areas, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) continues to promote toll road service quality enhancements, including an expansion of the advantages experienced by communities around toll roads.
Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono has stated that rising public requirements and expectations demand a commitment to constant quality improvement in toll road services. Toll road users’ convenience and security will benefit from higher-quality services.
“The presence of rest areas is also encouraged to provide real economic benefits for the local community’s economy, through the provision of kiosks for MSMEs to promote local products and culinary delights,” according to Minister Basuki.
According to Sudirman, a member of the Expert Team for Sustainable Toll Road Assessment (JTB), the PUPR Ministry is presently encouraging all toll road managers and Rest Areas and Services (TIP) to facilitate economic advantages for the neighboring community, with a particular focus on fostering the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Sudirman stated that by collaborating with the neighboring community, a variety of innovations could be implemented, including the provision of entertainment and events in rest areas.
“Together with the community such as local artists, toll road rest area managers can organize a regular annual agenda with various unique and interesting regional special events to attract visitors. With more visitors, automatically MSMEs selling in toll road rest areas will be helped to increase their sales,” said Sudirman.
As one of the iconic TIPs featuring cultural heritage structures, the rest area of the former Banjaratma sugar factory at kilometer 260 B of the Pemalang-Pejagan Toll Road presently accomodating over 70% of MSMEs from the total number of existing shops, according to Dina Yonanda, the manager of the rest area.
Dina said, based on the latest data, there are 569 Brebes Regency residents who work and sell at the TIP. “Our passion is to continue to help these residents earn a living. Thank you for the various input for our future innovations,” she concluded.(ABIM)
