Kebung-Banyucampah Road Collapses, Residents Build Emergency Bridge

The community of Telaga Tawang Village, Sidemen District, Karangasem, Bali, is constructing an emergency bridge through a self-help, communal system on the Kebung-Banyucampah road section, which collapsed approximately two months ago following heavy rainfall.

The Head of Telaga Tawang Village, I Komang Muja Arsana, stated that the construction of the emergency bridge was undertaken because official road repairs are not scheduled to take place until 2027. Following coordination with the Traditional Village (Desa Adat), it was agreed to build the temporary bridge independently to ensure the community can continue to pass through.

“Repairs can only be carried out in 2027, which we feel is still several months away. Therefore, we are building an emergency bridge first so that the community can cross,” said Muja Arsana on Monday (21/09/2026).

Muja Arsana noted that the progress of the emergency bridge construction has reached 80 per cent. Construction is planned to continue in two days for the concreting and finishing processes. All materials used, such as coconut tree trunks, bamboo, and wood, were donated by the local community.

“For the time being, the emergency bridge can only be used by pedestrians; motorcycles will be able to pass once the finishing is complete. However, cars cannot pass yet,” Muper Arsana added.

The construction of the emergency bridge is considered vital for the community, particularly for students travelling to school. Before the bridge was built, students had to seek alternative routes that were significantly longer.

“We would also like to express our gratitude to the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and the Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency (PUPR) for assisting in the construction process of this emergency bridge until it can finally be used by the community,” concluded Muja Arsana.