The Ministry Of PUPR Ensures That The Cisumdawu Tunnel Is Safe To Operate Post-Employment In Sumedang

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has dispatched a team from the Directorate General of Highways together with the Bridge and Road Tunnel Safety Committee (KKJTJ) to conduct an inspection of the condition of the Cisumdawu Tunnel on the Cileunyi-Sumedang-Dawuan toll road after the earthquake that occurred in Sumedang Regency, West Java, on December 31, 2023.

"According to the initial inspection, the Cisumdawu Tunnel is currently in a safe operation," reads the official statement from the Ministry of PUPR, Tuesday, January 2.

One of the important things examined in the post-earthquake tunnel is the part of the tunnel portal which is thought to have been affected by the earthquake load.

Based on the results of the initial inspection, no cracks were found on the concrete surface. The concrete crack pattern in the tunnel is a pile of dust/impurity that sticks to the uneven concrete surface, so it looks as if the walls are cracked.

Furthermore, to find out the condition of the Cisumdawu Tunnel as a whole after the earthquake, a specific detail will be carried out by the Ditjen Bina Marga and KKJTJ Team to ensure that the overall tunnel is safe to operate, including aftershocks on Monday, January 1 yesterday.

The Ministry of PUPR appealed to the public to always be careful across the Cisumdawu Tunnel and comply with directions from the police.

The Cisumdawu Tunnel is part of the Cisumdawu Toll Road which has a length of 472 meters (m). The location of the Tunnel is located at Sta. 12+628-STA. 13+100, Pamulihan Village and Cigendel Village, Pamulihan District, Sumedang Regency, West Java.

As previously reported, the Acting Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Abdul Muhari said that after the earthquake in Sumedang Regency, it had caused a break in the Cisumdawu toll double tunnel.

"Earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.8 caused a slight rift in the walls of the Cisumdawu Toll Twin Tunnel. The management carried out assessments and other actions deemed necessary. However, the cracks were confirmed while they did not interfere with traffic and conditions were still under control," he said.