BNPB inaugurates emergency suspension bridge in Temanggung, Central Java

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has inaugurated an emergency Bailey suspension bridge in Temanggung Regency, Central Java, to restore inter-village connectivity following a flash flood. BNPB Head Suharyanto stated that the temporary bridge was built to reopen access for residents who had been isolated in Plosogaden Village, Candiroto District. “This bridge is very vital for the community. If it was not addressed immediately, residents’ economic activities would continue to be disrupted. We worked with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to borrow and install this Bailey bridge so that mobility can return to normal,” he said. Suharyanto explained that repairing the crossing access was an urgent government priority after the main bridge in Plosogaden collapsed due to flash floods in mid-May 2026. The destruction of the road infrastructure resulted in the severing of the main access connecting residential areas between Banjaran and Sinongko hamlets. According to data from the BNPB Operations Control Directorate, the bridge damage initially left 161 families, or approximately 400 residents, isolated. BNPB responded swiftly to the conditions reported by the Temanggung Regency Government by allocating an emergency stimulus budget sourced from the 2026 Fiscal Year Ready-to-Use Fund (DSP) worth Rp144 million. The funds were used to cover the operational costs of assembling and installing the emergency steel suspension bridge structure, which is designed with a span of 16.4 metres. The construction process, which involved tactical synergy from 26 personnel of the Indonesian Army’s 4th Combat Engineer Battalion (Yonzipur 4) alongside local community self-help efforts, was completed effectively in less than a month. Regarding the future status of the bridge, BNPB has handed the matter over entirely to the Temanggung Regency Government, whether to grant the Bailey bridge as a regional asset or to dismantle it once a new permanent bridge is ready to be built.