Regarding Damaged Road Repairs In Central Lampung, Minister Basuki: Starting Tender May

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono. Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI

JAKARTA - After reviewing the Sp.Korpri-Purwotani road or the Itera/Kotabaru toll road access road, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reviewed the damage to the Simpang Jalan Gajah-Simpang Randu City, Lampung Province, on Friday, May 5.

He was accompanied by Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, and Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan.

Minister Basuki said that the improvement of regional roads was in accordance with Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 3 of 2023 concerning the Acceleration of Improvement of Regional Road Connectivity that had been issued by the President in March 2023. The Regional Road Instruction aims to handle damaged non-national roads and increase the availability of regional roads throughout Indonesia through the assistance of the State Budget.

"We will immediately carry out the President's order by starting a job tender in May 2023, so that June can begin to improve its road conditions," he said in a written statement, quoted on Saturday, May 6.

Based on 2022 data, Lampung Province has 99 provincial roads along 1,693 km with 77 percent safety conditions, and 6,591 district roads along 17,774 km with 50 percent safety conditions. The national road in Lampung is 1,298 km with an estimated 95 percent.

Currently, there are 15 regional roads in Lampung that have been proposed to be handled through the Regional Road Instruction, including the Gajah-Simpang Randu City section which has been reviewed by President Jokowi.

The 29 km long section is a provincial road that connects the mid- and trans-east Trans Sumatra in Lampung Province which supports agricultural areas and shrimp ponds.

Meanwhile, President Jokowi said that the public must know that the person in charge of road management is different depending on the type of road. (Execution of authority) national roads by the central government, provincial roads by governors, district/city roads by regents and mayors.

"Because road damage in this area has been around for a long time, repairs will be taken over by the Central Government. This year specifically for Lampung, the Central Government will disburse a budget of approximately Rp800 billion for 15 regional roads," he said.

Nevertheless, Jokowi said, not all improvements to the regional road would be handled by the central government, but there would still be responsibility from the regional governor himself.

"However, later there will be several segments that are still the responsibility of the Governor and Regent. Don't let everything be handled by the Central Government," he concluded.