Central Government Allocates IDR 576 Billion For Mandalika Area Arrangement

DOC ANTARA VIA ITDC

MATARAM - Head of the West Nusa Tenggara PUPR Service, Ridwan Syah revealed that the central government through the Ministry of PUPR has allocated a budget of more than IDR 576 billion for the arrangement of the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in preparation for MotoGP at the Mandalika Circuit.

"According to the President's direction when checking MotoGP preparations, there should be no traffic jams, no slums, and no puddles, the PUPR Ministry has allocated a budget of IDR 576 billion to organize the Mandalika area," he said in Mataram, quoted by Antara, Monday, January 24.

He said the budget would later be used for the construction of a number of supporting infrastructures for Mandalika, including the 7.6 km Mandalika SEZ flood control channel with a value of IDR 120 billion.

Furthermore, the construction of the BIL-Mandalika Bypass Road phase II along the 17.36 km worth more than IDR 204 billion. Then the widening of the Kuta-Keruak road along the 5.3 km worth more than IDR 136 billion so that for the two roads the total budget reaches IDR 362 billion more.

In addition to structuring the Mandalika area corridor, the budget allocation is also intended for the arrangement of residents' houses whose value reaches more than IDR 94 billion.

"Especially for the Phase II BIL-Mandalika Bypass Road, this will be a national example because it is a freeway, so the current entrance will be closed so there is no direct access," said Ridwan Syah.

Meanwhile, to support the acceleration of the infrastructure supporting the Mandalika MotoGP, continued Ridwan Syah, work is currently underway on the Kuta-Keruak Road connecting Central Lombok and East Lombok Regencies along the 5.3 km.

However, the road is not carried out all at once but is carried out in stages. Because in pursuit of MotoGP, priority is given to structuring the road from the Sunggu roundabout to Kuta or in front of the Mandalika Circuit with a length of 1.3 km.

"To be effective in time, the work on the front road of the Mandalika Circuit will take precedence so that there will not be a repeat of traffic jams during WSBK, because during MotoGP the number of spectators is five times larger as the government has approved 100,000 spectators," he explained.

"But if the road widening in Kuta-Keruak is carried out in stages by adding 4 lanes equipped with a road median and its arrangement," continued Ridwan Syah.

There is also the obligation of the NTB Provincial Government, in this case, namely the acquisition of land owned by the community around 30 acres on the Kuta-Keruak route through the 2022 Provincial Budget with a budget of around IDR 7.5 billion to IDR 8 billion.

In addition to support from the PUPR Ministry and the NTB Provincial Government, said the former Assistant II of the NTB Provincial Secretariat, the Ministry of Transportation has also confirmed that in 2022, to assist road safety facilities, such as lights, signs, markings, and others for the 5.3 km road segment in Kuta-Keruak. While outside, there are five roads that are continuously being sought to synergize with other ministries.

"Because our guests are not only staying at Mandalika, but some are in Senggigi, so we asked for street lamps and all of that has been agreed by the Ministry of Transportation," said Ridwan.

Meanwhile, work on bypass roads including three roundabouts, namely the Nurul Bilad, Bizam, and Sunggu roundabouts, has begun, including houses with a total budget of around IDR 94 billion.

"Including the road corridors, roads, and hills, all will be beautified, so that when the audience arrives at Mandalika, they will be presented with a beautiful view from arrival to the circuit," he said.