Batam and Bintan are popular travel destinations among Singaporeans looking for a short getaway.
Soon, travellers may soon be able to drive between the two landmarks, as Indonesia plans to construct a 7km bridge connecting both islands.
On Thursday (11 Jul), an Indonesian cabinet member revealed that the construction of the bridge is set to take 3-4 years, and is expected to be completed by 2023.
The Ministry responsible for the project will start conducting a feasibility study and analyse engineering designs by the end of this year.
This mega infrastructure will be Indonesia’s longest sea bridge and will cost around 4 trillion rupiah (S$385 million).
The Indonesian government hopes to cut down on logistics costs, increase connectivity and boost tourism in the area.
It also hopes to establish Batam as an “alternative shipping and manufacturing hub” to Singapore with the completion of the bridge.
It’s unclear if tourists will be able to drive between the two islands, but since they’re hoping to boost tourism, chances are they’ll likely allow it.
Plans for the 7km bridge were first raised back in 2005 by the Batam authorities.
A number of firms had submitted proposals for the bridge since then, but there appears to be no bridge in sight, 14 years on.
Thus, we honestly aren’t sure how true the most recent statement is, but we’d highly recommend for you to manage your expectations.
That said, a bridge connecting the 2 islands will likely be a much-welcomed addition that will allow visitors to ‘hit 2 beaches in one trip’.
Featured image from Google Maps.
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