12-Metre Bridge Collapses, Main Access to Timor Completely Paralysed
The main land access on Timor Island is completely paralysed following the collapse of a bridge at the border between Naibonat Village in East Kupang Subdistrict and Kuimasi Village in Fatuleu Subdistrict, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, with a depth of around 1.3 metres, on Thursday (26/3) at approximately 05:00 WITA.
The 12-metre bridge on the Trans Timor route can no longer be used by vehicles. As a result, traffic flow from Kupang City to several districts on the Timor mainland has stopped, with long queues of vehicles lining up on both sides.
The Deputy Governor of NTT, Johni Asadoma, personally inspected the site along with the Head of the NTT Public Works and Public Housing Department, Benyamin Nahak, and relevant parties. He confirmed that the bridge has suffered severe damage and is not passable.
“This bridge is severely damaged and cannot be used by vehicles at all. This is the main route for the eastern land or Trans Timor, which is very vital, so community transportation activities are completely halted,” he said at the location.
According to him, the regional government is moving quickly to address the impacts, including opening alternative routes for the public. “We will immediately open an alternative road so that community activities can run smoothly again. Because this is a very important route,” he emphasised.
In addition to the bridge damage, there is also a broken water pipe at the incident site. The pipe is known to supply water to several areas, potentially disrupting clean water distribution.
Johni emphasised that permanent bridge repairs will take time because it is part of a national road under the central government’s authority.
“This is a national road, so it must be redesigned, designed, calculated, and then submitted to the Ministry of Public Works. The process is not short,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Head of the National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN) for NTT, Janto, said his team has deployed heavy equipment to the site for emergency handling. “We are sending heavy equipment to prepare an alternative bridge. Hopefully, if the weather permits, the work can be completed soon,” he said.
He explained that there are two handling options being prepared, namely diverting traffic via a regency road and building a temporary bridge on the downstream side of the damaged bridge location.
“From the soil condition check results, it is very possible to build a temporary bridge. Meanwhile, another team is also preparing the design for a permanent bridge along with the budget requirements,” he said.
As of this report, traffic flow on that route is still completely paralysed. The public is advised to use the alternative routes prepared by the government.