Gunungkidul Kelok 18 - Bantul DIY Bridge To Be Built Soon

The Gunungkidul Regency Government has accelerated the construction of road infrastructure to support the tourism sector. (ANTARA/HO-Humas Gunungkidul Regency Government)

GUNUNGKIDUL - The Government of Gunungkidul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, will build the infrastructure of the Kelok 18 Gunungkidul-Bantul bridge via Purwosari and Parangtritis with a multi-year system in order to accelerate economic growth and the tourism sector in this region.

Head of the Public Works Public Housing and Settlement Areas (DPUPRKP) Gunungkidul Irawan Jatmiko said the project stage from the Ministry of Public Housing Public Works is entering the bidding stage.

"In accordance with the Ministry of PUPR's LPSE (entering the auction stage). The construction of the Kelok 18 Gunungkidul-Bantul bridge is from the Ministry of PUPR," said Irawan as reported by ANTARA, Sunday, March 6.

Kelok 18 is predicted to be a new tourist destination because of the high view between Girijati and Bantul. It is considered to attract the attention of tourists because the height of Girijati and Bantul is very extreme.

It is different from the one in Sumatra because it only requires 9 turns, while in Gunungkidul 18 turns.

He said based on the KemenPUPR LPSE website, on March 10, 2023, the stage for determining the auction winner. The objection period is scheduled for March 11, then the letter of appointment of the goods and services provider for March 16 and March 20, 2023 signing of the contract.

"As for the value of the contract, we cannot convey it because the LPSE KemenPUPR is still in trouble," he said.

According to Irawan, not much has been prepared by the Gunungkidul Regency Government ahead of development. The distribution of compensation money was completed in 2018. Geographically, the connecting bridge will pass through two hamlets, respectively Watugajah and Parangrejo Padukuhan.

"The location that was acquired for agricultural land is not a settlement," he said.

After completion of the construction of Kelok 18, it will be connected to the Gunungkidul Southern Route (JJLS), just waiting for the west side to be connected to Parangtritis, Bantul. Turn 18 to be precise connects to the road near the Watugajah Padukuhan Hall, Girijati Village, Kapanewon/Purwosari District.

"Projects with a multi-year budget scheme. We hope to be a trigger for accelerating community economic growth," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Gunungkidul Regency Tourism Office (Dispar), Mohammad Arif Aldian, said that if realized, the existence of Kelok 18 is believed to have a positive impact on the world of tourism. This is because there will be tourism integration between regions and tourism cooperation.

"We continue to maintain communication with the Bantul Dispar. We will see what it looks like later, following developments," said Arif Aldian.

According to him, road infrastructure constraints can be handled with the existence of Curved 18. So far, the route to and from the South coast tourist destination in Gunungkidul has been quite extreme.

"We hope that special tourism economic zones in several sub-districts such as Panggang, Saptosari to the west can also be boosted," he said.