Basuki Instructs Repair Of The Kiambang A Bridge In West Sumatra To Be Implemented Immediately

Kiambang Bridge (KPUPR)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has instructed that the repair of the Kiambang A Bridge which was damaged by the flood disaster in Padang Pariaman Regency in September 2023 be carried out immediately.

"Improving the Kiambang A Bridge needs to be done immediately with better construction to support inter-regional connectivity in West Sumatra Province," said Minister Basuki in a written statement received by VOI, Saturday, January 13.

Minister Basuki said, with good connectivity, it is hoped that the flow of goods, services and human services can be smoother and more efficient so that it will have an impact on increasing economic productivity.

"The construction of bridge infrastructure, flyovers and underpasses will facilitate connectivity and traffic accessibility, in addition to providing alternatives for residents to increase economic productivity," he said.

The Kiambang A Bridge itself is an old bridge built in 1975 or 49 years old. This bridge has a length of 48 meters (m) and a traffic width of 7 meters with the construction of a bridge in the form of a T beam and the foundation of a rock pair.

The old Kiambang A Bridge experienced a scoring on the central pillar of P2 due to being hit by flood currents on September 20, 2023, so that the bridge pillar tilted and there was a decline on the bridge floor.

Temporary handling has been carried out by the West Sumatra National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN) since receiving information about the damage and immediately diverting traffic to the Kiambang B Bridge (new), cleaning up the wood drift (debris) and installing warning signs.

The permanent handling of the Kiambang A Bridge will soon be carried out considering the location of the bridge is on a heavy traffic section. For permanent handling, Detail Engineering Design (DED) is available.

In addition to the Kiambang A Bridge, handling the impact of flood disasters in West Sumatra was also carried out by the Ministry of PUPR by repairing roads that experienced landslides, such as the Payakumbuh-Batas Riau Boundary, precisely at STA 150+150-STA 167+000.

Overall, there are 48 landslide points that have been handled with smooth traffic conditions. Furthermore, the Sawah Lunto Boundary section has 12 landslide points and has been handled for functional purposes, and 1 point of the road collapsed is still in the progress of handling.