Andre Rosiade Visits Amor Market, Pushes Bypass Route as Solution for Toll Road and Congestion

Deputy Chairman of House Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Gerindra Party, Andre Rosiade, together with the Head of the West Sumatra National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN), Elsa Putra Friandi, visited the Amor Market area in Nagari Batu Palano, Sungai Pua District, Agam Regency. Andre directly observed the route considered capable of providing a solution for the construction of the Sicincin-Bukittinggi toll road while also resolving congestion problems in Padang Luar.

From the Amor Market area, Andre encouraged the optimisation of a bypass route that has been planned since the 1990s. The route is intended to lead towards Simpang Taluak and connect with the Bukittinggi Bypass Road.

The route under study has a length of approximately 6.7 kilometres. Andre assessed that this route could provide a way forward so that construction of the Sicincin-Bukittinggi toll road can continue without creating new problems in the Padang Luar area, particularly regarding land acquisition for flyover construction.

“Now we have a solution for how this congestion can be resolved. This bypass route has existed since the 1990s, but the land was never acquired and it was not built due to budget constraints,” said Andre, who is also Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party faction in the House of Representatives, in his statement on Saturday (22/8/2026).

According to Andre, the old route can now be optimised to support the construction of a toll exit in the Amor Market area. Furthermore, the central government can acquire land and simultaneously build the bypass section along the planned route using toll road construction budget support.

“God willing, from Padang Panjang towards Agam, we will prepare the toll exit in the Amor Market area. So that there is no congestion and traffic does not enter the national road towards Padang Luar, the bypass that has been planned for about 6 kilometres will be built by the central government,” he said.

Andre said the scheme provides two benefits at once. Construction of the Sicincin-Bukittinggi toll road can still proceed, while the bypass route that has been planned for decades can also be realised.

“So the public gets two things. The Sicincin-Bukittinggi toll road is obtained, and the bypass that we have been dreaming of since the 1990s is also realised. I think this is the most rational and objective solution to resolve congestion heading towards Bukittinggi City,” stressed the Chairman of the Central Executive Board of the Minang Family Association (IKM).

Andre explained that one of the problems in the plan to build the Padang Luar Flyover is land acquisition and the relocation of traders. If the market area is used, the government must prepare a new location for the traders. Meanwhile, if the route is shifted forward, the budget requirement for land acquisition also becomes a problem.

“If the market is used, where will the traders be placed? The regional government also does not have the budget to find a new location for the traders. That is one of the reasons why we have not succeeded in building the flyover,” he said.

Therefore, Andre assessed that integrating the bypass route with toll road construction can serve as a middle ground that accommodates development interests as well as community aspirations.

“For the non-toll road, we have a bypass solution; for the toll road, we also have a solution. This is a middle ground that we can realise through collaboration and certainly requires public outreach,” he said.

Furthermore, Andre said the plan will be discussed further in a cross-agency meeting on 8 September. BPJN West Sumatra will send letters to the West Sumatra Provincial Government, Agam Regency Government, the National Land Agency, the Ministry of Public Works, the Directorate of Freeway Roads and Hutama Karya to discuss finalising the route.

“On 8 September we will discuss the route. If we reach an agreement, outreach and community engagement will be carried out immediately. We are currently studying the various available solutions,” said Andre.

Andre hopes the public can view the plan objectively because road connectivity development is not only related to infrastructure but also to the economic growth of West Sumatra.

According to Andre, the existence of the toll road will accelerate the distribution of agricultural, fishery and livestock products as well as various West Sumatra resources to Riau. On the other hand, easier access is also expected to increase visits by Riau residents to West Sumatra.

“If this toll road succeeds, our agricultural, fishery and livestock products and natural resources can be sent to Riau. That generates money for West Sumatra. Many Riau residents also holiday in West Sumatra and spend their money here. So the West Sumatra economy can grow,” he said.

Meanwhile, Head of BPJN West Sumatra Elsa Putra Friandi supported the idea presented by Andre. According to him, integrating the toll road with the bypass route can create an alternative road network to split traffic flow in the area.

“This is a very good solution. Later there will be a toll road, and we will integrate it with the bypass, so that traffic can also use this bypass route,” said Elsa Putra.

Elsa explained that the congestion problem in Padang Luar had previously been addressed through a flyover construction plan. However, a number of obstacles meant that other alternatives needed to be studied.

By integrating the bypass route into the toll road construction, the land acquisition process can be carried out simultaneously with the toll road construction, so that the national road network has a new alternative.

“By integrating this with the toll road, land acquisition can later be done together with the toll road implementation. In terms of the national road network system, there is another alternative to split the traffic flow from the existing bypass to the national road at the Amor Market position,” said Elsa Putra.