In The Past, Kembangangit Village Like A 'No-man' Region, Thanks To The Infrastructure Assistance Of Ganjar Street, It Is Now A Tourist Destination

Ganjar Pranowo (Photo via Central Java Provincial Government)

JAKARTA - The Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, does not only pay attention to provincial road infrastructure. He also provided a large portion of assistance for 35 level two regions.

In addition to facilitating access to liaisons, the road infrastructure assistance is also the leverage of the community's economy.

Such as the two alternative lines of Batang-Banjarnegara, namely the Bandar-Gerlang road section, Bandar District, which is 4.3 kilometers long, with a 2015 budget of IDR 15 billion.

There is also a 5 kilometer Deles-Sigemplong road with a 2017 budget of IDR 9.5 billion. The road assistance not only facilitates road access, but also becomes the economic axis of the residents by creating tourist objects.

Kepala Desa Kembangangit, Kecamatan Bandar, Tumari menyebut, Jalan Bandar-Gerlang yang melintas di desanya, semula seperti sungai mati. Ketika sore mendatang, hampir tidak ada orang yang melintas sehingga membuat desa itu sangat sepi, dan perekonomian tidak berkembang.

"This road used to be called a dead river. So that Kembangangit Village was quiet and used to be a poor village," said Tumari, Monday, March 6. This condition changed after the Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo provided assistance of Rp. 15 billion for road construction.

"Alhamdulillah, in 2015 Pak Ganjar built access roads for the border of Batang Regency and Banjarnegara Regency. After access to good roads, the economy will automatically grow," he explained.

Until now, along Jalan Bandar-Gerlang, a restaurant and coffee shop have appeared on the side of the road. During weekends and holidays, many visitors came.

"Now Kembangangit Village has become a semi-independent village. About 99 percent of the population, especially young people, are not unemployed," he explained.

The manager of Forest Kopi in Kembangangit Village, Nanang, admitted that the construction of the road inspired him to open a coffee shop, in collaboration with Perhutani.

"The initial idea was because the road was good, finally opened a restaurant and coffee shop," he said.

Now, the business, named Forest Kopi, is developing a number of tourist destinations.

"Now it has penetrated to tourism. And, have 60 employees from local residents. Here also appear a number of coffee shops," he added.

The story of district/city road assistance from the Governor's Bankeu was also conveyed by Edi Nur Setiawan, a resident of Pranten Village, Bawang District. In the past, residents did not have road access either to the sub-district or to Batang Regency.

He said that in the past, only a footpath was in his area. Then the self-help residents made road access but it was still in the form of soil. Until finally got help from Governor Ganjar in 2017.

"Assisted by Mr. Ganjar, this road has finally been cast. Residents now have easy access if they want to take care of the sub-district or regency," he said.

Not only connecting access, the road assistance is also a tourist attraction known as the Kayangan Toll Road or the Over Awan Toll Road.

"Now it's getting busy. This village is at the end, Bawang District borders Dieng, Banjarnegara Regency. And, this road is known as the Kayangan Toll Road, so it becomes a lever for the community's economy," he said.

For information, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo gave a large portion of road infrastructure development in 35 regencies/cities. Since leading in 2013 until now, 6,724.29 kilometers of roads in regencies/cities have been built, rehabilitated, or improved in quality.