West Java Governor Targets Completion Of Smooth Road Program In 2023

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil/PHOTO VIA ANTARA/HO West Java Provincial Government

BANDUNG - West Java Governor M Ridwan Kamil targets the smooth road infrastructure program to be realized or completed by the end of his term of office, namely in 2023.

"So it's just too late. I promise that the road will be smooth, but the budget has been lost by IDR 10 trillion by COVID-19. It was bullied by people who didn't understand," said Ridwan Kamil at the Sate Bandung building as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 4.

Governor Ridwan Kamil said that infrastructure programs such as smooth roads should be completed in two years.

However, he said, because the West Java Provincial Government's budget was diverted to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the smooth road program experienced a slowdown.

According to Kang Emil, the promise to realize the smooth road program will be fulfilled considering that the budget has been prepared in the 2023 APBD.

"If what I am now full of is 2023, in the remaining positions, I promise to run smoothly, I can increase it," he said.

Kang Emil said that towards the end of this year there are two infrastructure projects that he will pay off first.

The two infrastructure projects are the Kujang Sapair Tower in Jatigede, Sumedang, and the Al Jabbar Gedebade Mosque, Bandung.

"I'm waiting for two. First, the Al Jabbar Mosque and twin towers in Sumedang Regency," he said.

Meanwhile, the Office of Highways and Spatial Planning (BMPR) of West Java Province (Jabar) has prepared a strategy to repair roads and deal with damaged bridges in West Java.

"In addition to carrying out several works on smooth roads and stable bridges, we will also coordinate with Bappenas and the Ministry of PUPR to finance the budget," said Head of the West Java Highways and Spatial Planning Agency, Bambang Tirtoyuliono.

This improvement is a "Smooth Road" program which is part of a campaign promise from the Governor and Deputy Governor of West Java M Ridwan Kamil and Uu Ruzhanul Ulum whose terms of office will end in September 2023.

Bambang said that the damaged roads in West Java reached 450 kilometers and had to be reconstructed immediately by dismantling and rebuilding new roads, which required high costs.

"If the reconstruction is calculated, the cost could reach IDR 1.9 trillion. The condition of roads in West Java is almost 73 percent of which have exceeded their technical age," he said.