The Ministry Of Public Works Plans Alternative Padang-Bukittinggi Route

Drivers crossing Jalan Lembah Anai, Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra, Monday (8/12/2025) ANTARA/Muhammad Zulfikar

TANAH DATAR - The Ministry of Public Works (PU) plans to build a long-term alternative road to connect the Padang-Bukittinggi route to reduce the burden on the Anai Valley area, Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra, which has been the main access link between the two regions.

"We had an initial discussion that we had to make several alternative roads," said PU Minister Dody Hanggodo in Tanah Datar Regency, Monday, December 8, as reported by ANTARA.

This is considering that the Padang-Bukittinggi route via the Anai Valley has suffered two major damages, or total cuts in the last two years, precisely due to flash floods in May 2024 and November 2025.

Dody said that basically in the last few months, the Ministry of Public Works has planned to accelerate the construction of toll roads, from Padang-Sicincin to Padang Panjang to Bukittinggi.

However, the biggest problem is that in the construction there must be a tunnel or tunnel that penetrates a fairly high hill in the area around the Anai Valley.

"But, if I saw there was a train road. So I think it can still be pursued," said the Minister of Public Works.

In addition, other alternatives also need to be built by a flyover around the Valley Anai waterfall because the water conditions are often abundant to the road during the rainy season.

"We are thinking about making a flyover, but that's just the initial thought, yes, there must be a process," he said.

However, Dody ensured that his party would try as soon as possible in the feasibility study, Detail Engineering Design (DED), and so on, so that physical work could be carried out in 2026 because weather conditions could never be predicted or maybe worsened.

"DED for flyovers actually already exists, but it's an old DED, namely 2015, so we have to update it while we talk to friends in the area regarding the land issue. Because the land actually has a customary so that later we need separate discussions," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of Commission VI of the House of Representatives Andre Rosiade added that the construction of the Sicincin-Bukittinggi toll road will later build a tunnel before Malibo Anai where the starting point is in Padang Panjang.

"So if the route via the Anai Valley is hit by a landslide, there will be a toll road. Later there will be a toll road that is inside the hill or a tunnel is made along about 3.5 kilometers," he said.