Army Chief Targets Completion of 7,000 Bridges by Early 2027
Jakarta — The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (KSAD) and Commander of the Bridge Acceleration and Improvement Task Force, General Maruli Simanjuntak, has set a target to complete construction of 7,000 bridges by early 2027.
The target was announced whilst reporting on bridge construction progress to President Prabowo Subianto in Lhok Kuyuen Village, Sawang District, North Aceh Regency, on Monday (9 March 2026).
“We hope to complete the target bridges in August, complete schools in October in disaster areas, whilst for all bridges across Indonesia, we hope that by early next year 7,000 bridges can be completed,” Maruli stated in his report before President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated 218 bridges throughout Indonesia.
Currently, bridge construction is underway at more than one thousand locations across Indonesia.
“I report on bridge construction: at present we have started work on 1,072 bridges, with 218 already completed,” Maruli explained.
Specifically in the disaster-affected areas of Sumatra, the task force under his command has successfully completed 145 bridges. This number will continue to increase to meet the target of 480 bridges to be constructed. These locations have been surveyed and categorised as requiring immediate attention.
Meanwhile, the 218 bridges inaugurated by Prabowo today consist of 77 bailey bridges, 59 armco bridges, and 82 pioneer bridges. These include bridges built in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra following flash floods and landslides in late 2025.
President Prabowo previously stated that the inauguration of hundreds of bridges constructed in such a short timeframe of approximately 2.5 months represents an extraordinary achievement. The former Defence Minister also noted that bridge construction demonstrates the genuine commitment of all TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) personnel and officials in affected disaster areas.
“The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force has worked hard, and especially the Bridge Task Force today inaugurates 218 bridges. I express gratitude on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, as President of the Republic of Indonesia and as a private individual,” Prabowo said.
Accompanying President Prabowo at the event were Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, Vice TNI Commander General Tandyo Budi Revita, and Head of the Defence Ministry Logistics Agency Air Marshal Yusuf Jauhari.