Racing to Fix Decrepit Roads
Devi can now only resign herself to life in a wheelchair. She still remembers the incident several years ago when she was riding pillion on a friend’s motorcycle along the Parung Panjang route. As they turned towards a petrol station, a mining truck suddenly struck their motorcycle. “At first it just clipped us. But the bumper hit my waist, and I could already feel it was broken,” she said.
Devi’s story is an open wound from the Parung Panjang route, long known as the “Death Road”. At least 213 lives have been lost there. Enormous overloaded trucks frequently lose control when they hit the destroyed road surface, riddled with deep potholes and severe undulations. The damaged roads act as a deadly trap for residents, causing vehicles to swerve and end up under the wheels of mining trucks.
The tragedy of Devi and a string of other victims was recounted to West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, who posted about it on his Instagram account in October 2025. The leader, often referred to as KDM, promised Parung Panjang residents that he would take firm action against irresponsible truck drivers whilst simultaneously repairing the route through his flagship Jalan Leucir programme.
The term “Leucir” is taken from Sundanese, meaning smooth, sleek and clean. The programme is not merely routine road patching but rather a massive movement to ensure every inch of road in West Java is built to premium concrete standards.
In Parung Panjang, the results are already being felt. Roads that once resembled buffalo wallows have been replaced with thick, sturdy concrete surfaces. “As residents of Parung Panjang District, we are pleased and support Kang Dedi’s policy,” said Saeful Anwar, Chairman of the Parung Panjang Community Movement (GAMPAR). “The roads are now smooth, reducing the number of accidents,” he added with a tone of relief.
To deliver road comfort across every corner of the province, the West Java provincial government has significantly increased its road repair budget from approximately Rp 400 billion to Rp 2.009 trillion. Additionally, a special allocation of Rp 187.580 billion has been disbursed for non-provincial roads.
Beyond road length, the asphalt standards have also been upgraded to premium grade. KDM does not want newly built roads to deteriorate quickly. He has established standards requiring factory-produced concrete and high-quality asphalt with sufficient thickness to withstand heavy logistics loads.
Every road must be smooth, have clear markings, be equipped with public street lighting, and have CCTV facilities. KDM has also established Rapid Reaction Unit teams in each area, equipped with heavy machinery to swiftly address emergency damage.
Within one year, a total of 474.12 km of roads in West Java have been successfully repaired, comprising 446.327 km of provincial roads and 18.038 km of non-provincial roads. This achievement has been spread evenly across six Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) working areas covering 27 regencies and cities. UPTD Region III (including Purwakarta, Subang, Karawang and Greater Bandung) recorded the longest repairs at 115.422 km. The dramatic change is reflected in road serviceability figures. Whereas in 2024 the figure stood at around 83-87 per cent, by early 2026 it is projected to surge to 95 per cent.
This rapid road revitalisation effort has yielded positive results for KDM’s leadership record. A survey by Indikator conducted in February 2026 showed public satisfaction reaching 95.5 per cent. More notably, road infrastructure contributed a satisfaction rate of 86 per cent, with students and university students registering 100 per cent satisfaction.
Last year’s positive performance is set to continue in 2026, particularly in anticipation of the homecoming exodus during the Eid al-Fitr 1447 H holiday season. KDM has prepared a budget of Rp 4.8 trillion to repair an additional 700 km of roads. This measure aims to achieve a road serviceability rate of 95.5 per cent across the whole of West Java whilst ensuring comfort for residents travelling home for the holidays.
KDM wants to ensure that the slogan “Villages Cared For, Cities Organised” is genuinely felt by all segments of society in an inclusive manner. “My target is that by 2027 all roads in West Java — national roads, toll roads, provincial roads, regency roads and village roads — are well connected and in smooth condition,” he said. “Because this will drive circulation and economic growth.”