Roadwork starts despite complaints from locals

Roadwork starts despite complaints from locals

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

An ambitious road project to build a bypass linking Ciputat
district with Tigaraksa, the capital of Tangerang regency, has
begun despite complaints that the money would be better spent
repairing poorly maintained existing roads in the regency.

Regent Ismet Iskandar, who officiated over the groundbreaking
ceremony for the 31-kilometer bypass on Wednesday, said the
project would not have gone ahead if they were required to use
local contractors, as requested by regency council members.

"We insisted on using state enterprise PT Wijaya Karya instead
of local contractors, whose performance is questionable. The
roads they build or repair mostly last only three months. We have
the data," Ismet said.

He said large sections of roads built by local contractors
linking the regency with Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang municipality
and Serang, the capital of Banten province, were in poor
condition and in need or repair.

The bypass project, estimated to cost Rp 80 billion (US$9.41
million), is beginning in Jatake village, Legok district. The
seven-meter-wide road will pass through the districts of Ciputat,
Pamulang, Serpong, Cisauk, Pegedangan and Legok Curuk, ending in
Tigaraksa.

The contractor estimates the project will be complete within
18 months, including the construction of a 200-meter-long bridge
crossing the Cisadane River near state technology center Puspitek
Serpong.

Meanwhile, regency infrastructure agency head Maryoso said the
administration could not afford to repair damaged roads in the
regency.

He said up to 60 percent of roads in the regency, about 1,100
kilometers in total, required repair.

A resident of Pondok Ranji, Ciputat, said the administration
should repair damaged roads before building new ones.

"It would be better if the administration repaired the
potholes along the roads to Ciputat, Pamulang, Pondok Aren and
Serpong. It is impossible to reach our destinations on time
because of the poor condition of the roads," he told The Jakarta
Post.

The administration said the new bypass would serve as a
shortcut, saving residents time and money by allowing them to
avoid the traffic congestion.