Minister PU Reveals There are Plans to Build a Toll Road in the Anai Valley, West Sumatra after the Flood English:

Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo. (Photo: Dok. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo revealed that there are plans to build a toll road in the Anai Valley area, West Sumatra (Sumbar). The plan to build a toll road is expected to reduce traffic congestion on the road around the Anai Valley.

Moreover, Dody said, the condition of the road in the Anai Valley which connects Padang City with Bukittingi is very worrying. The reason is that the road has been hit by flash floods twice, namely in 2024 and 2025.

This was revealed by Dody after his visit to West Sumatra to check the condition of infrastructure after the late November 2025 flood.

"The Anai Valley already has a road, a national road that connects Padang to Bukittinggi. Well, there is a hill that is very steep (bald), so when I was there yesterday, I had time to order my team to the Director General of Infrastructure to pay attention to this hill. It could cause flooding again later, if the rain is still heavy," said Dody in a media briefing on the Preparedness of the 2025 Christmas and New Year 2026 Infrastructure in the PU Ministry Auditorium, Jakarta, Thursday, December 18.

"That's why we thought, yes, we've made a toll road that blows the hill, it's as a help so that the road below, in the Anai Valley, is not too crowded anymore," he continued.

In addition, Dody also asked for an alternative road to be made because the load of the road crossing the Anai Valley is already very large.

"It seems that the burden of this road is already high, the burden because of nature, yes. For us, it is not appropriate to be used as a highway, because it is too dangerous for human life. So, we should make an alternative road other than the current road, like that," he said.

The open traffic trial of the Padang-Bukittinggi Road via Lembah Anai has been carried out since Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 16.00 WIB until December 21, 2025 at 09.00.

Previously, information about the trial of the four-wheeled vehicle had been conveyed by the Regent of Tanah Datar Eka Putra after the assessment phase carried out on the access road to Lembah Anai on Monday, December 15, to test the readiness of infrastructure and safety in the field for drivers.

On the same occasion, the Head of the Padang Panjang Police, AKBP Kartyana Widyarso Wardoyo Putro, conveyed that people who want to cross the access in the Anai Valley must always obey the rules of the officers.

"Four-wheeled vehicles can pass through the Anai Valley route, including two-wheeled vehicles, with a specified time of 16.00-09.00. This is done because of the weather conditions at night, so that during the day we maximize materials and heavy equipment to work," he said in his statement, Wednesday, December 17.