Road Access to SDN Rungkut Menanggal 2 School Closed; Surabaya DPRD Seeks Solution

The closure of road access to SDN Rungkut Menanggal 2 in the Rungkut Menanggal Harapan housing estate has sparked complaints from residents. The grievance was received by Deputy Chair of Surabaya City DPRD Laila Mufidah. She noted that the closure of the portal forces residents, particularly students and parents escorting children, to take longer routes to reach the school.

According to Laila, the portal was originally installed during the COVID-19 pandemic to restrict entry and exit from the residential area. However, after the pandemic ended, the portal remained closed.

During a site inspection on 23 February, Laila witnessed the portal still closed. She assessed that the closure is inconvenient for residents, as the road serves as the primary access route to SDN Rungkut Menanggal 2.

“This is inconvenient for residents. The road is the main access route. It’s unfortunate that children have to take long detours to get to school,” Laila stated in a written statement on Monday, 16 March 2026.

The housing management had mentioned that a small alternative road was available for residents. However, that route was still blocked by iron barriers preventing motorcycles from passing through. The access is only usable by pedestrians. According to Laila, this condition is not an ideal solution because it remains inconvenient for parents escorting children to school.

“I am not blaming the housing management because they closed the portal for security reasons, to prevent motorcycle theft and so on. However, there should be another, better solution,” she said.

Following the inspection, Laila said she communicated further with residents of Rungkut Menanggal. However, the portal remains closed. For this reason, she reiterated residents’ complaints and called for a solution to be found promptly. She also called on all parties to maintain the security and comfort of the neighbourhood without disadvantaging any group.

“Let us together maintain the security and comfort of the neighbourhood. No one needs to be disadvantaged. All residents have the right to good access in their residential environment. The key is mutual understanding and open communication,” she stated.

Laila believes the best solution is for all parties to sit down together. She emphasised that housing management, resident representatives, and neighbourhood leaders (RT and RW) need to communicate to find a way forward. The DPRD, she said, is ready to mediate if necessary.

“We have provided persuasive guidance. We have asked the RT and RW to sit together to find a solution, including the mechanism for reopening the portal,” she explained.

As a temporary solution, Laila proposed that the portal be opened at specific times, such as in the morning when children go to school and at midday when they return. This arrangement, she argued, could benefit residents without compromising neighbourhood security.

Additionally, Laila stressed that conflicts within communities must be resolved through good communication. According to her, good faith from all parties is key to maintaining harmony among neighbours.

“Problems like this can be resolved amicably. The key is good faith from all parties. As a council member, I always hope that society can develop as individuals who always maintain comfort and security together, especially in the residential environment. Let’s look after Surabaya together,” she concluded.