SIMALUNGUN - Commission V DPR RI paid a working visit to the simalungun district of North Sumatra province. The working visit was led directly by Anton Sihombing as Chairman of the Group and was accompanied by working partners and local government officials in Simalungun. House of Representatives Commission V meets with local government officials and continues to review the handling of landslides that occur on the National Road that connects the City of Pematang Siantar with the Lake Toba National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN) in the Simalungun Regency.

 Also assisting in the working visit was Head of Medan National Road Implementation Center II, Selamet Rasidi. The visit began with a meeting of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission V group with simalungun local government officials. In the meeting discussed development programs in the district of Simalungun. During the meeting Selamet Rasidi said development in the Simalungun Regency was still constrained by land issues. we hope that the regional government assistance related to land acquisition, "Selamet said.

 Increased rainfall intensity in the Simalungun Regency area caused landslides which resulted in damage to the Bts Road section. City of Pematang Siantar - Parapat - Bts. Kab. Tobasa. One of the heavily damaged points on this 47.92 Km road is the Sidua-Dua Twin Bridge. Since the first landslide on December 15, 2018 until January 2019, there have been 8 subsequent landslides that have hit the bridge.

Medan BBPJN II Head Selamet Rasidi said that heavy equipment had been unloaded, such as: Excavators, Backhoe Loaders and Dump Trucks to handle debris clearing. Whereas the permanent handling will be carried out by BWS Sumatra II because it intersects with the regulation of water flow in the region.

 The Directorate General of Highways through the Medan National Road II Implementation Center undertook the construction of a 19.50 Km Parapat Outer Ring Road as an alternative route for the distribution of goods and services coming from Siantar City to the Parapat and Toba Samosir Regencies in the event of a landslide at the Sidua-Dua bridge, "Explained Selamet.

 In addition to handling landslides that occurred in Simalungun District, BWS Sumatra II and BBPJN II Medan will also collaborate in the process of developing the Tano Panggol area. The Head of the SDA Council Secretariat Apriady Mangiwa explained that there would be a widening of the Tano Panggol channel so that large ships could pass through to support tourism development in the Lake Toba KSPN. Whereas BBPJN will carry out the construction of the Tano Panggol Bridge connecting Samosir Island with the land of Tele. (KompuBM)