Constructing a 240-metre suspension bridge in Aceh Tamiang, TNI AD: Decades of residents lacking access.

Republika.co.id, Jakarta — The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) has completed the construction of the Garuda Perintis suspension bridge, 240 metres long, in Aceh Tamiang Regency, Aceh. The bridge is said to become the longest suspension bridge in Indonesia, as well as opening vital access for thousands of residents who have been isolated for decades.

The bridge connects Sekerak Kiri Village and Bandar Mahligai Village in Sekerak District, an area that was especially difficult to reach during the rainy season and floods.

Brigadier General Ali Imran, Commander of Korem 011/Lilawangsa, said the bridge’s construction is a follow-up to President Prabowo Subianto’s instruction after the floods disaster in Aceh.

‘In this area, for decades there has been no bridge access. The bridge is 240 metres long with a load capacity of up to 400 kilograms. This is a real solution for the safety and economy of the people,’ Ali Imran said during a site visit on Tuesday.

Before the bridge was built, residents and students had to risk their safety by using wooden boats to cross the river. Another alternative was to detour by road for one to two hours.

Now, after the bridge is completed, inter-village mobility can be achieved in about five minutes.

The bridge’s presence is seen not just as infrastructure development but as a symbol of the state’s presence in remote areas with previously limited access.

For local residents, the bridge opens new hopes for access to education, health services, the distribution of agricultural produce, and village economic growth.

Ali Imran said the construction of the suspension bridge is part of a broader TNI AD programme to strengthen connectivity in remote areas in Aceh.

Korem 011/Lilawangsa aims to construct 252 bridge points across Aceh. To date, 108 bridges have been fully completed.

The bridges built include Bailey bridges, Armco bridges, suspension bridges, and permanent concrete bridges.