Bandung Mayor Halts All Bus Rapid Transit Development Permits

Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan has halted all development permits for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) mass public transportation project after identifying several deficiencies in infrastructure quality at construction sites.

Farhan assessed that the work on this public transport project has not demonstrated adequate standards for a major undertaking.

“The BRT work is of very poor quality. There are no indicators that this is a national strategic project. We are suspending permits from the Investment and Integrated Licensing Service until they can resolve this,” Farhan stated in Bandung on Monday 16 March.

He identified five priority locations with substandard construction work: Ir H. Juanda Street (Dago), Merdeka Street, R.E. Martadinata Street (Riau) in front of Bandung Pramuka Park, and two sites in the Dago area—near Dago 101 and in front of the Bandung City Health Laboratory.

“The BRT project is classified as a National Strategic Project (PSN) and should therefore have high construction quality standards,” he noted.

According to Farhan, remedial work at these five locations must be completed before any further construction can proceed.

“I have decided that all BRT construction permits are frozen until they can rectify the work at these five sites,” he said.

Farhan further stressed that the city government will not authorise any new work, whether for corridor development or ancillary BRT works, until comprehensive improvements are made.

“As of today, my inspection results show that the Bandung City Government rejects the BRT as currently executed based on the quality of work demonstrated,” he stated.

Farhan urged the contractor and relevant parties to expedite improvements so that the public transport infrastructure construction meets National Strategic Project standards and delivers maximum long-term benefits to Bandung residents.