Minister Basuki-Chairman Of Commission V DPR RI Inaugurates Kareho Suspension Bridge In West Kalimantan, Facilitates Citizen Access

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono and Chairman of Commission V DPR RI Lasarus inaugurated the suspension bridge in Sepan Kareho, Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Kalimantan Province, on Sunday, September 3.

"We from the PUPR Ministry hope that this suspension bridge can serve the people in Kareho Village and function well to cross the Kapuas River to the national road that is being built. I advise that this suspension bridge can be maintained properly," Minister Basuki said in a written statement, Monday, September 4.

He said that infrastructure development in Indonesia is a program of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to build starting from the outskirts, including community-based infrastructure to help remote areas, one of which is a suspension bridge in Kereho Village, Kapuas Hulu Regency.

The contract value for the construction of a 120-meter suspension bridge with a width of 1.8 meters is IDR 13.65 billion. The construction was carried out by local contractor CV Asri Karya and supervisory consultant PT Jakarta Plan Selaras-PT Kartika Taruna Bumi, KSO.

On the same occasion, Chairman of Commission V DPR RI Lasarus expressed his gratitude for the follow-up to the DPR's aspirations to help residents access remote roads in West Kalimantan.

"Before there was this suspension bridge, people had to use the river for a long time, it could take hours. Now they can use motorbikes at a lower cost. It is very useful to transport sick people and pregnant women," he said.

The same thing was also conveyed by the Head of Kareho Village, Sepan Hamlet, South Putussibau District, Tahai.

Tahai said that the villagers were greatly helped by the presence of the suspension bridge to carry out daily activities.

"Including transportation of plantation products to Putussibau City, which previously had to pass through the Kapuas River at a boat fuel cost of around Rp. 2 million. Currently, with land routes to only around Rp. 300 thousand," he said.

The construction of the Kareho Suspension Bridge began in July 2022 and was completed in December 2022.