Indonesia to tender $ 2.5 bln of toll road projects

JAKARTA, Oct 31 (Reuters) Indonesia plans to hold a tender for 11 toll road projects worth around 23 trillion rupiah ( JAKARTA, Oct 31 (Reuters) Indonesia plans to hold a tender for 11 toll road projects worth around 23 trillion rupiah ($2.53 billion) next year in a bid to boost economic growth, a public works ministry official said on Wednesday.

Hisnu Pawenang, head of toll road regulatory, said the government would offer 350 km (218 miles) of toll road projects in different provinces such as West Java, East Java, North Sumatera, South Sumatera, Riau, Bali and North Sulawesi.

Construction is expected to start late 2009 or early 2010 after announcing the winning bidders in late 2008, Pawenang said.

Southeast Asia's largest economy aims to revive the country's ailing infrastructure in a bid to help expand its economy and fight poverty, but factors ranging from red tape to corruption have put off investors.

At the end of 2004, the government launched a 1,000-km (621 mile) toll road project running across Java island, home to half of Indonesia's 220 million people and where most of its factories are located.

The 52-trillion rupiah toll road project is due to be completed by 2010.

REUTERS MP PM1616 .53 billion) next year in a bid to boost economic growth, a public works ministry official said on Wednesday.

Hisnu Pawenang, head of toll road regulatory, said the government would offer 350 km (218 miles) of toll road projects in different provinces such as West Java, East Java, North Sumatera, South Sumatera, Riau, Bali and North Sulawesi.

Construction is expected to start late 2009 or early 2010 after announcing the winning bidders in late 2008, Pawenang said.

Southeast Asia's largest economy aims to revive the country's ailing infrastructure in a bid to help expand its economy and fight poverty, but factors ranging from red tape to corruption have put off investors.

At the end of 2004, the government launched a 1,000-km (621 mile) toll road project running across Java island, home to half of Indonesia's 220 million people and where most of its factories are located.

The 52-trillion rupiah toll road project is due to be completed by 2010.

REUTERS MP PM1616