Manokwari And Arfak Liaison Break Bridges Are Estimated To Be Completed In August 2023

The condition of the Demaid bridge while repairs are being carried out. (ANTARA/HO-West Papua PUPR Document)

PAPUA - The Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) of West Papua Province has accelerated the construction of the Demaid Bridge which was cut off due to flooding some time ago.

Head of the West Papua PUPR Service, Yohanis Momot, said the bridge was on the main road that connects Manokwari Regency with Arfak Mountains Regency.

"Currently the bridge construction has been installed, it remains only 'finiishing' and paint. Maybe around early August 2023 it can be used properly and comfortably," said Yohanis in Manokwari, West Papua, Wednesday, July 26, quoted by Antara.

Yohanis said that his party installed a bailey model bridge because it was an emergency. The length of the bridge reaches 30 meters with a construction budget of Rp. 1.5 billion from the Papua Province APBD.

The bailey bridge is a high-quality mild steel frame bridge. This bridge is easy to move or movable and generally used as a simple emergency bridge.

"But the weakness of this bridge can only be passed by one car, so you have to pass alternately," he said.

Yohanis said the West Papua Provincial Government moved quickly because it considered the importance of the position of the bridge. Do not let the access to the Arfak Manokwari-Mountaining road be cut off ahead of the current regional elections.

The Demaisy Bridge is in the Minyambauw District. So if Manokwari wants to go to the capital city of the Arfak Mountains closest to the road. There is another way but he has to go very far," he said.

Yohanis explained that although the bailey model bridge could be used for a very long time, his party still plans to build a permanent bridge. However, construction takes a long time.

"Of course, due to budget constraints, if you build a permanent bridge you have to make multi-years, 2-3 years, because the permanent bridge must be concrete construction and the entire bridge is 60 meters long. So of course it requires a very large budget," he said.

Yohanis added, even though it was speeding, the bridge construction encountered several obstacles. One of the main obstacles is that the area is in the rainy season, so floods and landslides often occur. In fact, his party had to divert the flow of water under the bridge.

"We have to work always on floods every day. Almost 1 month we try to arrange the waterway, so that the water direction can be controlled. Another obstacle is that the bailey bridge is in Manokwari, which we have to bring to the Arfak Mountains. Even though the materials are big," he said.