Civil Coalition Criticises Road Closure, Aceh BPJN Responds
A civil society coalition in Aceh has criticised the decision by the National Road Agency (BPJN) to halt the use of a road in the Enang-enang area on the Bireuen-Takengon national route, Pintu Rime Gayo District, Bener Meriah Regency, which was repaired by residents on their own initiative. The road, damaged by a disaster, serves as a vital link across the central region of Aceh. Residents repaired the national road themselves because the government had not done so.
The coalition views BPJN’s action as an act of state arbitrariness amid the slow response to the ecological disaster affecting Aceh. “This step by BPJN is a form of state arbitrariness. The reasons given also demonstrate the government’s failure to accelerate post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction in Aceh,” said coalition spokesperson Alfian on Wednesday (24/6).
He argued that the community’s self-funded initiative to reopen access after the Enang-enang bridge was severed by the disaster in late November 2025 should have been supported. The residents’ collective effort had successfully restored transport links that had hampered local activities and the economy for months. “For about seven months, people faced difficulties due to the severed access. Through solidarity and self-help, they managed to reopen a route that is very beneficial for daily activities and the local economy,” he said.
Alfian assessed that the government’s presence at the site was not to provide solutions or certainty regarding infrastructure repairs, but rather a response to public criticism of the slow handling of road and bridge damage. He said the public has the right to question the government’s whereabouts during the months when the main access to schools, health facilities, and economic centres was cut off. “The Enang-enang road has been severed since late November 2025. The question is, where have the central and regional governments been for the last seven months? Are people simply left to face difficulties accessing schools, health services, and economic activities?” he asked.
Aceh Civil Society urged the government to stop actions deemed to hinder the community’s alternative efforts to overcome access limitations caused by the disaster.
Meanwhile, Aceh BPJN head Zulkarnaini stated that the handling of the Enang-enang road on the Takengon-Bireuen route has been included in the 2027 development programme. However, the government has not yet recommended the emergency road built by residents for use by four-wheeled vehicles or heavy-load vehicles. “We have actually already programmed Enang-enang for construction in 2027. We have also visited the site and met with the residents who built the emergency road,” Zulkarnaini told reporters on Tuesday (24/6).
Zulkarnaini confirmed he went directly to the location and met with local government and residents following the intense public spotlight on the road’s condition. “For the time being, we cannot recommend heavy-load vehicles to pass through Enang-enang. We also cannot guarantee the safety of four-wheeled vehicles using the emergency road,” he said. He stressed that rebuilding the road requires a special technical study given its status as national road infrastructure and its susceptibility to landslides. Meanwhile, his agency has opened an alternative route for residents to use. “Residents are urged to continue using the available alternative route,” he said.