Palembang, KOTABARI.COM – Hundreds of residents from Gandus District, together with the Online Driver Association (ADO), staged a peaceful protest at the South Sumatra Governor’s Office on Monday (16/12/2024). The demonstration aimed to demand immediate repairs to the main road in Gandus District, which has been severely damaged for years. The poor road conditions have led to numerous accidents, including incidents involving pregnant women and online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers.
Maria, one of the residents participating in the protest, emphasized the importance of road repairs for the people of Gandus. “This road is very important for the people of Gandus. Many officials live here, there are also tourist destinations, but the road has never been properly repaired. It’s only patched up, and that’s not a real solution,” she said.
Maria added that the damaged road often causes vehicles to break down, forcing drivers to wait a long time before they can continue. Furthermore, the poor infrastructure hampers residents’ access to markets, schools, and universities.
Residents Demand Immediate Action
During the protest, the demonstrators submitted several demands to the South Sumatra Provincial Government (Pemprov Sumsel), including:
- Urging the Acting Governor of South Sumatra to expedite the repair of the main road in Gandus District.
- Calling on the Acting Governor to instruct the Head of the South Sumatra Public Works and Spatial Planning Office (PUBM) to begin repairs immediately.
- Demanding the dismissal of the Head of the PUBM TR Provincial Office and the Head of the PUBM TR UPT Office in Palembang.
- Threatening to block the road to four-wheeled vehicles if repairs are not carried out by January 2025.
The protest coordinator, Afrianto, stated that residents have repeatedly reported the issue through various media channels, but the government has not responded seriously. “Many people have already been hurt, with some suffering broken limbs, and vehicles have been damaged. If our demands are not met, we will close the road to four-wheeled vehicles in the coming days as a form of protest,” he stressed.
Pemprov Sumsel Promises to Build an Overpass
In response to the protest, Basyaruddin Akhmad, Assistant II of Pemprov Sumsel, met with the demonstrators and presented a government solution. He revealed that repairing the Gandus road could no longer be done through simple methods such as patching or concrete paving, as the road tends to collapse. The proposed solution is to build an overpass with supporting pillars.
“The only solution is to build an overpass. The tender process will be conducted in January 2025, and construction will begin in March,” said Basyaruddin.
The planned overpass will be 70 meters long and 6 meters wide, with a project budget of IDR 7.5 billion. While waiting for construction to commence, Pemprov Sumsel will carry out temporary repairs by adding aggregate to make the road passable until the end of the year.
“Starting tomorrow, the team will begin work in the field to conduct the patching so that the road can last until the end of December,” he added.
Protest Highlights Government Inaction
This protest emerged as a response to public frustration over the prolonged inaction on road repairs, which have persisted for four years. The Lettu Karim Kadir road, a major access point in Gandus District, is considered a significant hazard for road users due to its damaged condition.
With the government’s promise to build an overpass, residents hope the protest will push for timely and concrete actions to ensure their safety and convenience. However, residents also stressed they would continue to monitor the progress of this commitment until it is fully realized.