PU Minister Gives Yellow Vest to Residents who Initiated Repair of Enang-enang Bridge
JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo responded to the controversy regarding the Enang-Enang Bridge in Bener Meriah Regency, Aceh Province, which had been repaired by the community.
When reviewing the location directly on Wednesday, July 8, Dody gave an appreciation to Syahrial, a community leader who initiated the temporary repair of the bridge with residents.
As a form of appreciation, Dody symbolically pinned the yellow vest and hat belonging to the PU Ministry to Syahrial.
Dody said that the public's step to maintain access to the connection was a form of mutual cooperation that should be appreciated.
According to him, the concern of the residents helps maintain connectivity in Bener Meriah Regency, so that community activities continue to run while the government accelerates handling that meets safety standards.
"First I would like to thank Mr. Syahrial. We from the central government have been helped, because Mr. Syahrial and the community have worked together to fix it, our task is to provide maximum support so that what the community has done is not in vain, but can still be used in a limited way while prioritizing safety," said Dody quoted from a written statement, Thursday, July 9.
He emphasized that the government would continue to strengthen the structure of the Enang-Enang Bridge so that it would be safer to use.
The temporary reinforcement that has been carried out will be improved with regular monitoring, considering that there is still a potential for danger due to river currents and the condition of the soil around the location which is unstable.
"I have asked the Head of the Aceh National Road Implementation Office, the Director of Bridges and the technical team to strengthen the structure under the bridge. During the process, the bridge will continue to be monitored. If it is judged to be dangerous for the community, use will be temporarily stopped until the condition is completely safe," he said.
In addition to handling the Enang-Enang Bridge, the PU Ministry is also preparing a long-term solution by widening Jalan Werlah as an alternative route and building two new bridges.
According to Dody, this step is expected to provide a safer access option for the public while supporting logistics distribution through a route with adequate capacity.
Syahrial admitted that he was grateful for the attention given by the government.
According to him, the wearing of the PU Ministry's vests and hats is an award for all people who work together to maintain the access connection.
"This is an award for all people who work together to maintain access and help others. We are ready to continue to support the government so that the construction of a permanent bridge can be realized soon," said Syahrial.
The PU Ministry ensures that the permanent handling of the Enang-Enang Bridge will be accelerated.
During the transition period, the bridge will continue to be functionally limited with strict supervision and restrictions on vehicle types to ensure the safety of road users.