Government Allocates Rp60 Billion for Lembar-Kayangan Bypass Road
The central government has allocated a budget of Rp60 billion for the first phase of the construction of a bypass road connecting Lembar Port in West Lombok and Kayangan Port in East Lombok Regency.
“The global figure for the Lembar-Kayangan bypass road is not yet finalised. However, for this first stage, the central government funds for completing segment 1 are approximately Rp60 billion. This covers physical works only, including roads and bridges,” said Abdul Hadi, a member of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), following a coordination meeting in Mataram on Thursday.
He noted that the bypass construction will utilise existing provincial roads rather than constructing entirely new routes as originally planned. “Therefore, we are using provincial roads; they will simply be widened,” he explained.
Abdul Hadi emphasised that the bypass is highly strategic for the region, particularly in supporting smooth transportation and reducing travel time between Lembar and Kayangan Ports. “This bypass presents an opportunity for the region to support efficient port-to-port logistics,” added Abdul Hadi, who was accompanied by fellow Commission V member Mori Hanafi.
The construction will be carried out in stages due to various complexities, including land acquisition, necessitating cooperation between central, provincial, and regency governments. The commencement of physical works depends on the completion of the Detailed Engineering Design (DED), Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan (LARAP), and land clearance.
Lalu Kusuma Wijaya, Head of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Department of Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing, and Settlement Areas, stated that the bypass project is currently undergoing the DED and Environmental Impact Assessment (AMDAL) processes. Field surveys have commenced to determine land requirements and technical obstacles.
Regarding land acquisition, Kuswijaya noted that the costs would be shared between the province and regency governments, with further discussions pending between all levels of government. Notably, the NTB Provincial Government is encouraging a land endowment (waqf) scheme to encourage community participation and reduce the significant budgetary burden of land compensation.