Meranti PUPR Service Searches For Solutions To Overcome Ambruk Bridges

The Sampul Commander Bridge located in Tebingtinggi Barat District, Meranti Islands Regency collapsed on Wednesday (22/5/2024). (ANTARA/Rahmat Santoso)

PEKANBARU - The Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Office of Meranti Islands Regency is looking for a solution to overcome the Sampul Commander Bridge in Tebingtinggi Barat District which collapsed, even though its authority has been transferred to the Riau Provincial Government (Pemprov).

"We will write to the provincial government so that the construction gets priority immediately. If possible, we will propose the use of the disaster budget, so that it can be handled immediately," said Head of the Meranti Islands PUPR Service Fajar Triasmoko, in South Panjang, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, May 23.

The Sampul Commander Bridge which collapsed on Wednesday (22.5) became one of the access points for the community in a number of villages in three sub-districts to the city of the Panjang Strait. Luckily, the incident did not cause any casualties.

After collapsing, the location of the incident has received strict security from the police and the public is prohibited from crossing it. Meanwhile, there is land route access that can be passed by people from Tenan Village, but the distance reaches a dozen kilometers and can only be passed by two-wheeled vehicles.

Head of Highways Division of the Meranti Islands PUPR Service, Rahmat Kurnia, said that before 2017 the authority of this bridge was still under the regional government (Pemda). However, after turning to the Riau Provincial Government, the 180-meter-long bridge only received a painting of the structure.

"It's only been painted by the provincial government. Since the bridge was built in 2002 until now, it has never received technical treatment," said Rahmat.

The man who is familiarly called Aang did not deny that a year before his authority to switch, the Meranti Islands Regency Government had made a Detail Engineering Design (DED) for the bridge connecting Gogok Village and Alai Village.

"There was already a DED before it was transferred to the Riau Provincial Government. Be it technical images, technical specifications and general specifications, volume and work costs. But after that it was diverted, we couldn't do much," he admitted.

Meanwhile, West Tebingtinggi Sub-district, Rinaldi, said the bridge was one of the main access points for the community in three sub-districts to go to the district capital. Apart from the region, including the Districts of Merbau Island, Merbau, and Tasik Putripuyu.

"The existence of this bridge is very vital and becomes the lifeblood of the community in improving the economy, one of which is marketing plantation products. And it is also the main access to the city of the Panjang Strait," said Rinaldi.

As a result of the breakdown of the bridge, thousands of people in a number of sub-districts are threatened with difficulties in their activities in meeting their daily needs. For this reason, he hopes that the Riau Provincial Government can immediately repair it.