The Minister Of of Public Works and Public Housing Wants To Dismantle 38 Old Bridges In Central Java

Damaged Rembun II A Bridge in Pekalongan Regency, Central Java Province. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of PUPR)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono will replace the old bridges built from 1970-1980 in Central Java.

According to Minister Basuki, in the province which is led by Ganjar Pranowo, there are around 38 bridges of the same type that were built from 1970 - 1980.

"We will program these bridges to be replaced", said the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Monday, February 8.

The Minister of Public Works and Public Housing directly inspect the handling of the damaged Rembun II A Bridge in Pekalongan district, Central Java Province, Sunday 7 February.

The 50-meter long bridge collapsed on the north side or on the route from Semarang-Jakarta, precisely at KM SMG 113 + 800, it was damaged in the bridge frame (broken) so that part of the bridge body tilted about 30 degrees. The bridge damage occurred after being crossed by a heavy vehicle loaded with steel, on Thursday 4 February at around 19.30 WIB.

The Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono directly reviewed the handling of the damaged Rembun II A Bridge in Pekalongan district, Central Java Province, Sunday 7 February. (Photo: Doc. Ministry Of Public Works and Public Housing)

The Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, when inspecting the location of the damaged Rembun II A Bridge, asked that the bridge repair be carried out immediately to support connectivity that connects Pekalongan and Pemalang districts to return to normal.

"For this bridge (Rembun IIA), which was built in 1977, we will replace it with a new steel frame with a span of 50 meters and a width of 9 meters. The implementing contractor is PT. Wijaya Karya and will be completed in 45 days", he said.

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing through the Central Java National Road Implementation Center (BBPJN) DI Yogyakarta, the Directorate General of Highways has cleaned the floor of the bridge with heavy equipment. After that, the assembly was carried out and continued with piling works, truss bridge dismantling, new bridge installation, bridge floor plates and accessories, and minor works.

The Rembun II A Bridge is a Callender Hamilton (CH) steel frame bridge that connects the North Coast Line (Pantura) in Pemalang and Pekalongan districts.

Jalan Pantura is a vital route that connects various centers of production, collection, and distribution of various basic needs of the citizens, especially in the northern region of Java.