Indonesia’s rapid infra drive takes deadly toll

JAKARTA: A string of fatal accidents is threatening to derail Indonesia’s relentless infrastructure drive ahead of the Asian revving up growth in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

President Joko Widodo—who is counting on the construction bid—temporarily halted all elevated - jured dozens more in recent months.

The stoppages include construc rapid transit system.

is co-hosting the Games with Jakarta—is supposed to be operating by August when millions of visitors are expected to arrive for Asia’s concerns that not all venues will be completed in time.

Widodo halted work shortly after toll road project in Jakarta left seven workers severely injured last month.

The stoppage also comes after a balcony collapse at the Jakarta Stock Exchange building this year resurrected concerns about lax construction standards.

National Ombudsman.

‘Looking for compromises’

and mismanagement have left many projects mothballed or neglected for years.

But the president has made infrastructure development the centerpiece of his economic growth strategy for the vast archipelago nation.

Widodo sees the building drive as essential to improving logistics and modernizing infrastructure— and reaching his goal of seven

- that building must stay on track for Indonesia to be a global player.

“If we want to win the competi - structure is what we need to do

A furniture seller-turned-politi - megawatts of power—enough to supply electricity to about five