Protecting The West Sumatra Cross Road From Abrasion, Ministry Of PUPR Builds Coastal Security In Bengkulu

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has started to build beach protection in Bengkulu Province. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of PUPR)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) is building security for Lais Beach in North Bengkulu Regency, Bengkulu Province.

Head of the Sumatra VII Bengkulu River Basin Center (BWS) of the PUPR Ministry Adi Umar Dani said the construction of a beach guard in Bengkulu Province aims to protect the coast from the risk of abrasion and erosion due to waves so that it will preserve vegetation and residential areas around the coast.

Apart from Lais Beach, beach protection infrastructure from abrasion is also being built at Hili Beach and Merpas Beach, Kaur Regency, and Kaana Beach, Enggano Island.

"The construction of this beach guard also aims to protect the Sumatra West Cross Road from coastal abrasion, which currently at several points has caused landslides on the shoulders of the road," said Adi in his official statement, Thursday, July 20.

Adi explained the construction of coastal protection in Bengkulu Province in 2023 was divided into three work packages, namely the construction package for the construction of a 400-meter coastal protection on Lais Beach, the construction of a 550-meter coastal protection on Hili Beach and Merpas Beach, and the construction of 100-meter protection on Kaana Beach on Enggano Island.

"(The first work package) has been carried out since May 2023 by contractor PT Naga Sakti Construction with a contract value of IDR 20.3 billion. The work is targeted to be completed in December 2023," said Adi.

Adi said that currently, his progress is in the process of printing wave-breaking concrete cubes with a total of around 14 thousand blocks for work on Lais Beach.

"It is planned that in August 2023 installation will begin along the shoreline with distances from the national road varying by around 5-10 meters depending on the steepness of the cliffs and erosion conditions," he said.

Meanwhile, the construction contract for the second package started in May 2023 and was carried out by the contractor PT Dua Satu Construction Bengkulu with a value of IDR 19.2 billion.

Finally, the third package construction contract started in March 2023 and was carried out by contractor CV Villa Salasar. The contract value reached IDR 12.4 billion.

Meanwhile, a resident of Raja Hamlet, Lais District, North Bengkulu Regency, Haryadi expressed his gratitude for the construction of a beach guard at Lais Beach.

According to him, the abrasion conditions caused by the waves are increasingly worrisome for local residents and motorists.

"This section is the West Sumatra Cross Road which is very important to connect to the City of Padang, West Sumatra," he added.