Post-Disaster Task Force Focuses on Road and Functional Bridge Repairs in Sumatra
The Head of the Post-Disaster Acceleration of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) Task Force for Sumatra, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, stated that efforts to restore connectivity in disaster-affected areas of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra are now focused on road repairs and the restoration of temporary bridges that remain functional.
This step represents a continuation of basic infrastructure recovery efforts that have demonstrated significant progress across various affected regions. With increasingly restored transportation networks, public mobility and logistics distribution are gradually returning to normal.
According to Tito, the majority of national and provincial roads in affected areas can now be used again, allowing public activities to resume normal operations.
“Functionally, things are relatively normal now. National and provincial roads are usable, with only one route at Lokop heading to Blangkejeren still affected,” Tito stated on Tuesday (10 March 2026).
Based on PRR Task Force data as of 10 March 2026, cumulatively 2,520 local road sections were affected by the disaster across the three provinces, with 2,277 sections having returned to functional status, representing approximately 90 per cent.
Meanwhile, on the national road network, all affected sections have returned to full function at 100 per cent, meaning main inter-regional connectivity has been restored.
For bridge infrastructure, of 1,180 affected local bridges, 790 bridges have returned to functional status, representing approximately 67 per cent. On the national bridge network, all bridges have also returned to full function.
Beyond road and bridge repairs, restoration of basic services such as electricity and communication networks has also progressed widely in affected areas. For villages not yet fully electrified, the government is distributing generator sets to ensure the basic needs of residents remain met.
With improving access to such infrastructure, community economic activity is also beginning to resume. Markets previously disrupted by flooding and infrastructure damage are gradually returning to operation.
Nevertheless, Tito emphasised that the government remains committed to prioritising the restoration of several connector infrastructure currently still temporary in nature, particularly emergency bridges constructed during the emergency response phase.
“During recovery, what will be made permanent are the bridges, then the roads that are currently still functional in nature,” he said.
In the process of accelerating connectivity recovery, the government is also involving various stakeholders, including the TNI and National Police through the Bridge Task Force charged with constructing emergency bridges at several isolated points.
Cumulatively, more than 150 emergency bridges of various types, ranging from Bailey and Armco bridges to pioneer bridges, have been completed in affected areas, with dozens more still under installation. The construction of these bridges represents an important step in reopening inter-regional access previously severed by the disaster.
Meanwhile, the government is also accelerating the construction of temporary housing (huntara) for survivors still in evacuation camps. According to Tito, several areas in Aceh still require additional huntara units due to the still-substantial number of evacuees.
Therefore, the government will accelerate construction of the remaining housing units to enable the relocation of evacuees from tents to be achieved soon.
“What is still lacking will be built and accelerated. The National Disaster Management Agency is ready, the Public Works Minister is ready, and Danantara is also ready,” Tito concluded.