Road Users Complain About Damaged National Roads Near IKN
Road users on the inter-provincial route near the Nusantara Capital (IKN) in Penajam Paser Utara Regency (PPU), East Kalimantan, are complaining about the widespread damage to the roads, which has not been adequately addressed.
Hendro, a PPU resident from Penajam Ward, stated that several damaged road sections frequently complained about by locals include from kilometre 1 in Penajam Ward to kilometre 9 in Nipah-Nipah Ward, right in front of the PPU regency office, then heading to Lawe-Lawe Ward in front of the PPU PDAM Water Treatment Plant, and several other road segments.
He acknowledged that the damaged roads have received repairs, but they are only temporary, in the form of patchwork that does not last long and thus deteriorates again.
“The road damage has been occurring since the time when Bupati PPU was still Mr Andi Harahap, then changed to Yusran Aspar, Abdul Gafur, and now Mr Mudyat Noor as regent, but there has been no change; it remains a complaint,” he said.
In agreement, Vera, a resident of Nenang Ward, added that due to the road conditions, many road users have become victims. Moreover, the road is quite busy from morning to evening.
According to her, PPU residents feel envious of Sepaku Sub-district, which has now become part of the IKN area, as the roads there receive special attention from the government. Even new, better roads have been built there.
“This condition is far different from the PPU area as the gateway to IKN,” she admitted.
She hopes that the government can soon pay attention to the road conditions in PPU, because this road is the face of PPU, which has a city branding or identity as the Gerbang Nusantara.
Separately, PPU Regent Mudyat Noor is aware of the public’s complaints. His side has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Public Works (Kemenpu).
“We have proposed to make it two lanes or widen all of them to Kemenpu. But first, we request a study on the road density level,” he explained.
Nevertheless, he continued, based on the assessment of the National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN) of Kemenpu, nationally, the national roads in the PPU area are 94 percent in good condition.
“Therefore, if the study allows for road widening or two lanes, it will be built and become a priority scale. We hope that next year, 2027, it can be realised by Kemenpu,” he concluded.