MERAUKE, SOUTH PAPUA – After stopping for more than 10 years, the construction of the Kali Bian Bridge which has a length of about 500 meters will be resumed, the construction of the bridge will be funded from the State Budget through the PJN XXII Merauke Hall, “materials and heavy equipment to build the Kali Bian Bridge have arrived at the location,” said the Head of BPJN Merauke, Ir. Gunadi Antariksa, M.Sc,
The arrival of this material and heavy equipment is an important step in continuing the construction of the 500-meter Kali Bian Bridge and with easier road access, and hopes to accelerate infrastructure development that will have a positive impact on the economy of this region.
The construction of the Kali Bian Bridge is part of the Government’s efforts to increase connectivity and improve infrastructure in the area, so as to support economic growth and the welfare of the local community, “everything has arrived, and has been auctioned. We are on target to complete it this year,” said Antariksa.
In addition, after the bridge is completed, Antariksa said that road access from the Bian bridge will also continue to be built, “in the next few years a road will be built there, now the Kali Bian bridge has been built after that, the road will continue to be built there,” said Antariksa.
Previously, Commitment Making Officer 2.2 of the National Road Implementation Unit II Merauke, Arny Mangente, ST.MT. said that he continued to carry out maintenance on the national road from Kwemsid to Okaba.
The work unit is awaiting approval from the Director General of National Roads regarding the submission of a plan to build roads and bridges in the region to be auctioned later, “the national road will penetrate to Okaba, the plan will be with the Kali Bian bridge, the plan is this year. Not yet auctioned, still waiting for approval from the Director General,” said Arny.
The Kwemsid road section is already open and often experiences damage due to maintenance carried out still using stockpiled soil, “We are still doing maintenance with stockpiled soil, since I was assigned in December here, I immediately checked there. The name is embankment soil, it is quickly damaged again,” said Arny.
There are 52 kilometers that will be built from Kali Bian to Kwemsid, 500 meters of which are for the bridge over Kali Bian and the plan is 500 meters for the bridge, because so far the community has only gone by sea, in 2020 and 2021 the Satker has carried out road maintenance with 8 kilometers of embankment.