Monitoring The Innovation Of The Construction Of The Nation's Children's Tunnel In Samarinda, Which Is Worked On By PTPP

JAKARTA - The Sultan Alimuddin-Kakap Road Tunnel construction project, which is being worked on by PTPP in Samarinda City, is now approaching completion with progress reaching 91.702 percent.

This Rp395.9 billion project is part of the city government's efforts to overcome congestion and improve safety in the Gunung Manggah area.

The project with a tunnel length of 400 meters and a width of 10,eter has its own uniqueness, because it is the first road tunnel in East Kalimantan and also the first in Indonesia to be financed using the city-level APBD.

It is planned that this tunnel will have 2 lanes (1 direction) and will be operated in mid-2025. More than that, this project is the work of the nation's children, from the planning stage to the construction process.

One of the main innovations in this project is the application of the Parallel NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method) method. In this method, all work is done in parallel, including lower excavation work, invert work and lining work.

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka on his visit in February 2025 appreciated the construction of the Samarinda Tunnel which was able to be a solution to solve congestion. During his visit, Gibran mentioned the benefits of building this tunnel in increasing accessibility and the importance of completing this project so that the benefits can be felt immediately by the surrounding community.

"This infrastructure is also crucial in supporting equitable development in East Kalimantan," he said.

PTPP Corporate Secretary Joko Raharjo explained the process of making a tunnel in Samarinda, which is the first tunnel made by the nation's children.

"With the implementation of NATM innovation, the duration of project work can be shortened significantly without reducing the safety and quality aspects of construction," he explained, in a written statement, Thursday, April 3.

Joko hopes that the Sultan Alimuddin-Kakap Road Tunnel can reduce congestion on main roads and improve the safety of road users in the Gunung Mangga area.

One more thing, continued Joko, with this tunnel, can become a new icon in infrastructure development in Indonesia.

"This project proves that modern and innovative infrastructure development can be carried out with local resources and regional funds, as well as a milestone in the development of urban transportation systems," concluded Joko.