Kodam Udayana Begins Construction of 24 Garuda Bridges Starting in Buleleng
Denpasar (ANTARA) - Kodam IX/Udayana has begun constructing 24 Garuda Bridge sites in the regions of Bali, NTB, and NTT as part of the Indonesian Army’s strategic programme to accelerate infrastructure development in remote areas, starting from Buleleng Regency, Bali.
The construction was marked by the laying of the first stone by the Deputy Commander of Kodam IX/Udayana, Brigadier General TNI Taufiq Hanafi, in Lokapaksa Village, Seririt Subdistrict, Buleleng Regency, on Monday (30/3).
Brigadier General Hanafi, speaking in Denpasar on Tuesday, stated that this programme is part of phases III and IV of building 376 bridges across Indonesia, initiated by the Indonesian Army.
Specifically in the Kodam IX/Udayana region, the construction covers 24 suspension bridges spread across three provinces.
The details include 12 sites in the Korem 161/Wira Sakti area (NTT), 9 sites in Korem 162/Wira Bhakti (NTB), and 3 sites in Korem 163/Wira Satya (Bali).
The Regent of Buleleng, I Nyoman Sutjidra, described the bridge in Lokapaksa Village as highly vital for the community.
The bridge connects Lokapaksa Village with Ringdikit Village and serves as the main access route to SD 5 Ringdikit.
According to him, the construction of this bridge has been proposed since 2019 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The proposal was resubmitted in 2023 and realised following the President’s directive in 2025 to inventory footbridges.
“The Buleleng Regency Government expresses its appreciation to the President of the Republic of Indonesia for the realisation of this construction,” he said.
The bridge construction is being carried out collaboratively by the Indonesian Army through Kodim 1609/Buleleng.
The Regent hopes the construction will proceed smoothly and be completed on time to enhance the safety and comfort of the community.
In a separate statement, the Head of Information for Kodam IX/Udayana, Colonel Inf Widi Rahman, stated that the Garuda Bridge construction represents the Indonesian Army’s commitment to assisting the government in accelerating infrastructure development.
He emphasised that the bridges not only serve as connections between regions but also support access to education and community economic activities.
This programme is also part of the support for President Prabowo Subianto’s third Asta Cita regarding equitable infrastructure.
In addition to the groundbreaking, the event was accompanied by the distribution of 25 basic food packages to the local community.
The Deputy Commander of Kodam IX/Udayana also held an interactive dialogue via video conference with units under his command that are simultaneously conducting groundbreakings.
The Head of Information added that this construction reflects the unity of the TNI with the people through the spirit of gotong royong.
The Garuda Bridge construction is expected to soon provide tangible benefits to the community, particularly in rural areas.