West Sumatra allocates Rp20 billion budget for provincial road repairs

The West Sumatra Provincial Government has prepared a budget of Rp20 billion to repair the damaged Manggopoh-Padang Luar road section in Agam Regency. Governor Mahyeldi stated in Padang on Monday that the repair process will commence immediately after the tender process is completed. The budget allocation is divided into two work packages. The first, worth Rp6 billion, is for the Simpang Gudang Manggopoh to Lubuk Basung section, which is currently in the tender process. The second package, valued at Rp14 billion, will focus on handling roads affected by landslides and subsidence in the Sungai Landia area, IV Koto District, including surrounding vulnerable points. The governor, who is the former Mayor of Padang, confirmed the funds are available and work will begin once the tender is finalised. He acknowledged the public’s hope for swift repairs but emphasised that all stages must follow applicable mechanisms to ensure the work complies with regulations and yields good quality. Routine handling and maintenance of the road section is continuously carried out by the Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) III of Highways, Human Settlements and Spatial Planning (BMCKTR) of West Sumatra Province. This includes patching and repairs to several bridges in the Lubuk Basung area, Agam Regency. The provincial road section from Simpang Gudang Manggopoh to Padang Luar spans approximately 69.43 kilometres and is one of the strategic routes in Agam Regency. The road connects several important areas such as Lubuk Basung, Maninjau, Kelok 44, Matur, IV Koto, and Banuhampu. This infrastructure plays a vital role in supporting community mobility, goods distribution, and regional economic growth. He noted that damage to the road is influenced by various factors. Besides the road’s age and the high intensity of heavy-tonnage vehicles, the area is also frequently affected by natural disasters such as landslides and subsidence due to its hilly geographical conditions.