Simpang Empat Residents Make Eight Demands for Road Repairs

LABUHANBATU SELATAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Residents of Simpang Empat hamlet in Torgamba District, Labuhanbatu Selatan Regency, North Sumatra Province, are growing increasingly impatient over the poor condition of their road infrastructure. After years of waiting for repairs, residents, represented by the Paguyuban Masyarakat Simpang Empat community association, have submitted eight demands to the regional government and several relevant authorities.

Residents are calling on the Labuhanbatu Selatan Regency Government to carry out immediate repairs to the road from Simpang Tugu to Bakaran Batu. They stress that infrastructure development must not once again be reduced to non-binding promises without a clear prospect of implementation.

For residents, a properly maintained road is not merely a matter of physical development but a lifeline for the community. The poor condition of the access road disrupts daily activities while also creating problems for the comfort and safety of road users.

The demands put the regional government's commitment to addressing public concerns to the test. Residents expect firm information about the construction start date, planned measures and the actual implementation of the work, which must be visible on the ground.

Eight Demands to the Government and Relevant Authorities

In a list of demands submitted to the authorities, the Paguyuban Masyarakat Simpang Empat community association has outlined eight requests. These are directed at the regional government, the legislature, companies and the authorities responsible for road management.

First, residents are calling on the Labuhanbatu Selatan Regency Government to immediately repair the road from Simpang Tugu to Bakaran Batu. They believe the government must pay serious attention to the road's condition, which has long affected the mobility of the local population.

Second, residents are asking the Regent of Labuhanbatu Selatan to remind the Deputy Regent of his commitment to repairing the road and ensure that it is honoured. The community expects an open explanation of how the commitment will be fulfilled, including a firm timetable and the actual commencement of the work.

Third, residents have announced that they will reject constituency visits and public consultation meetings held by members of the Regional People's Representative Council in their area if elected representatives, particularly legislators from Torgamba A constituency, are unable to advocate for road repairs.

This position signals that residents expect their elected representatives to provide effective advocacy. They do not want legislators to appear merely for political engagements and to collect public grievances, only to neglect the problems afterwards.

Fourth, residents are calling on the Regent of Labuhanbatu Selatan to review the performance of the Torgamba District Head. In the community's view, the official has so far shown no concrete commitment to advancing efforts to address the road damage.

Fifth, residents are demanding that the regional government review the permits held by PT Lautan Sawit Mas, which operates in Simpang Empat hamlet. The demand is linked to residents' suspicions that the company's overloaded operational vehicles are also contributing to the deterioration of the road.

Sixth, residents are asking the Regent of Labuhanbatu Selatan to prepare a consortium model involving companies that use the road. Under this arrangement, the companies would contribute towards financing and repairing the infrastructure they use.

Seventh, residents want the road management authority, together with the relevant agencies, to inspect lorries and other freight vehicles and take action against vehicles carrying loads that exceed the permitted weight limits for the relevant road classification.

Eighth, the Paguyuban Masyarakat Simpang Empat community association has expressed support for the establishment of a road barrier to prevent vehicles carrying loads of more than eight tonnes from passing through. This weight limit reflects the demand put forward by residents.

Taken together, these demands show that residents are seeking more than road repairs. They are also calling for better management and monitoring of infrastructure use to prevent similar damage from recurring.

Suspected Road Damage and Environmental Problems

Beyond the condition of the road surface, the activities of companies operating in the surrounding area have also attracted residents' attention. They suspect that overloaded operational vehicles belonging to these companies are further worsening the road damage.

However, these suspicions still need to be confirmed through technical assessments and investigations by the relevant authorities. Such examinations are necessary to enable the government to establish the causes of the damage objectively and take appropriate remedial action.

Residents have also raised concerns about waste and residue which, they suspect, cause air pollution and affect the quality of life of local people. They are therefore urging the government not to focus exclusively on road repairs, but also to ensure that companies conduct their operations in accordance with applicable environmental regulations and permit requirements.

Monitoring permitted vehicle weights is an important issue that requires particular attention. Road repairs without restrictions on vehicle loads and consistent enforcement could result in the damage recurring.

The proposal to establish a consortium of companies using the road is also an idea that the regional government should consider. Such a model could provide a fair, transparent and legally permissible way of sharing responsibility.

The regional government must assess the form of corporate contributions based on road usage, permit requirements and the findings of technical assessments of the infrastructure's condition. This step is important to ensure that repair funding does not rely solely on the public budget, but also takes into account the responsibility of those who use the road.

Residents Await Concrete Action

Action coordinator Rizki Anwar Nasution said the eight demands reflected the concerns of residents who had long suffered directly from the consequences of the road's poor condition.

In his view, the community had been waiting for the regional government's attention and concrete action for a considerable period. Residents therefore expect a firm solution rather than promises that are repeatedly made without being fulfilled.

"We are calling on the regional government to give this problem serious and immediate attention and to carry out the road repairs.

"It must not stop at promises. Concrete action must follow, and its impact must be felt directly by the community," was the central message of the Paguyuban Masyarakat Simpang Empat community association.

Meanwhile, field coordinator Abdul Hakim Siregar emphasised that the community's efforts were not intended to serve the interests of any particular group, but to secure proper, safe and comfortable road access.

The Paguyuban Masyarakat Simpang Empat community association hopes that Regent of Labuhanbatu Selatan Fery Sahputra Simatupang, Deputy Regent Syahdian Purba Siboro, the Labuhanbatu Selatan Regional People's Representative Council and all relevant authorities will respond to the community's demands without delay.

The road from Simpang Tugu to Bakaran Batu has now become more than a straightforward infrastructure issue. Residents' demands also concern government accountability, its responsibility to the public, the monitoring of heavy vehicles and the obligations of those who use the road.

The regional government is now being called upon to provide concrete and verifiable answers regarding the road's condition and status, the planned repair measures, the construction timetable and the monitoring mechanism for overloaded vehicles.

At the same time, the proposed construction of a road barrier imposing a maximum permitted vehicle load of eight tonnes must be coordinated with the road management authority and relevant agencies. The establishment and enforcement of the weight restriction must take into account the road classification, legal provisions, traffic safety and accessibility for the community to avoid creating new problems.

Residents are now waiting for concrete responses from the regional government and all relevant authorities. For the people of Simpang Empat, a proper road is not a luxury but a fundamental requirement for everyday life.

For the community, the government's success is not measured by how often development promises are made, but by how clearly people can feel the actual changes in their lives. (IDNC)

REPORTER: Dalil Harahap | EDITOR: Fik Sagala

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