Bappeda asks residents to be patient for Kotabaru bridge

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan 4/8 (AntaranewsKalsel) - Head of the South Kalimantan Development Planning Board (Bappeda) Nurul Fajar Desira asked local residents to be patient waiting for the realization of the bridge across the Pulau Laut Strait of Kotabaru, the easternmost district of the province.

Fajar, accompanied by the Head of Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency Achmad Sofiani here on Friday said that Kotabaru bridge construction takes a relatively long time, due to not listed in the national strategy project (PSN).

Meanwhile, it is still awaiting the design from the consultant, its eastern point at Tanjung Serdang, Pulau Laut, and the western point in Batulicin, the capital of Tanah Bumbu,

The design of the bridge is then submitted to the Long Bridge (Jembatan Panjang) Commission, for the next they do a feasibility study. When feasible it is submitted to the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR).

"Based on the recommendation of the Commission, the ministry proposes budget planning for Kotabaru bridge to be included in the State Budget (APBN)," Fajar said after a working meeting with Commission III of South Kalimantan DPRD.

"Currently the construction of a bridge which connecting the mainland with Pulau Laut continues to use the local budget (APBD)," he continued.

Due to budget constraints, both the provincial government and the district government of Kotabaru and Tanan Bumbu, the construction is not fast. It is different if it goes to PSN, Fajar said.

Achmad Sofiani added, for the development of Kotabaru Bridge the provincial government has disbursed funds of more than Rp100 billion.

The original plan the construction of the bridge worth Rp3.6 trillion to finance with a sharing system; Rp500 billion by provincial, then Kotabaru and Tanah Bumbu Rp250 billion each.

"While the rest we expect central government assistance through the Ministry of PUPR," said Achmad Sofiani.