The Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) project worth US$300 million or IDR 4.5 trillion will be implemented in Indonesia. MLFF is said to be able to provide many benefits for Indonesia. Attila Keszeg, Main Director of PT Roatex Indonesia Toll System (RITS) said, Indonesia does not need to spend money on this project. The project financing scheme is obtained from tariff levies from toll road users when the MLFF is already in operation.
“The project financing scheme uses tariff fees paid by toll road users as a project settlement tool, so it does not use any party’s money in Indonesia when the project is implemented,” said Attila at a meeting with a number of national media editors in Jakarta, Thursday (15/6/223) .
MLFF, which uses the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) scheme has a nine-year concession period. RITS, which is part of Roatex Zrt, a company from Hungary, is the business entity implementing the MLFF Indonesia project.
MLFF is the latest toll payment technology based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology which enables non-stop toll payment transactions through an application on a smartphone and read via satellite. This GNSS-based MLFF does not require readers everywhere on the highway, thus providing a more cost-effective solution.
Attila further explained, various advantages and benefits will be obtained by Indonesia from the implementation of the MLFF, such as the absence of queues at toll gates which have been the source of traffic jams on toll roads. World Bank data shows that traffic jams cause Indonesia to suffer economic losses of more than US$ 4 billion every year.
“The implementation of the MLFF is also beneficial from an environmental point of view, because reduced congestion will reduce air pollution and environmental burden because there are no queues and accumulation of vehicles at toll booths,” he added.
According to him, the implementation of the MLFF will make it easier for toll road users and increase the profitability of toll road operators because it reduces toll collection costs on a large scale. In addition, the implementation of the MLFF will accelerate Indonesia’s digital transformation through digitalization of toll payments.
“In addition to increasing GDP growth with the smooth flow of people and goods, MLFF also provides operational transparency which has implications for higher tax revenues for Indonesia,” he continued.
June 14, 2023, detikFinance
(https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2023/06/14/indonesia-set-to-launch-satellite-this-month-from-cape-canaveral.html)