West Sumatra – The Padang Panjang–Sicincin National Road section, which was previously cut off due to the flooding disaster that hit West Sumatra in May 2024, is now passable as of Sunday (21/07). The five-kilometer segment that was previously inaccessible has been restored following emergency recovery works carried out by PT Hutama Karya Infrastruktur (HKI), a subsidiary of PT Hutama Karya (Persero).
HKI was appointed by the West Sumatra National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN) under the Directorate General of Highways, Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR), to accelerate post-disaster recovery efforts following the flash floods, cold lava flow, and landslides along the Padang Panjang–Sicincin National Road at KM 62+700 – 67+800.
Eka Satriades, Project Manager for Emergency Response on the Padang Panjang–Sicincin section at HKI, explained that the government tasked HKI, as the contractor, to reopen the traffic across all affected points within two months after the disaster.
“We were entrusted by the government through the Ministry of PUPR to achieve open traffic within 70 working days. This open traffic, conducted in parallel with permanent road repairs, is expected to restore connectivity and support the local economy between Padang City and its surrounding regions. Therefore, we are doing our utmost on the ground to accelerate the work and prepare for traffic reopening,” said Eka.
To support the open traffic implementation, HKI carried out several key measures including checking the width at each construction site to ensure the passage of two-way traffic, installing and verifying traffic signs, setting up street lighting in accident-prone areas, patching potholes, deploying traffic personnel at narrow or high-risk locations, and conducting a trial run for open traffic on 18 July 2024.
The trial was attended by the Governor of West Sumatra, Mahyeldi Ansharullah; Head of BPJN West Sumatra, Thabrani; West Sumatra Traffic Police Director, Commissioner Dwi Nur Setiawan; and the HKI project team. The agenda included a real-condition simulation of the project’s traffic management plan (RMLLP). Key considerations during the trial included enhanced monitoring at sections where construction work is still ongoing and anticipating potential congestion due to high traffic volume.
In carrying out the field work, HKI encountered several challenges, including narrow and steep work areas as well as limited access to the site. Nevertheless, HKI remains committed to accelerating the construction progress as much as possible by mobilizing and operating heavy equipment tailored to on-site needs and implementing construction methods designed to speed up fieldwork.
“We kindly ask for the support and prayers of all stakeholders and the public so that the emergency response works on the Padang Panjang–Sicincin section can be completed properly and on schedule,” concluded Eka Satriades, Project Manager for Emergency Response on the Padang Panjang–Sicincin section at HKI.
