Landslide blocks Cipularang toll road

Arya Dipa, The Jakarta Post, Bandung | Archipelago | Tue, February 12 2013, 10:18 PM

Traffic on the Cipularang toll road has been heavily disrupted due to a landslide, which took place at 6.30 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

Hundreds of cars had to turn back at the 100-kilometer (km) point on the Cipularang toll road shortly after the landslide, which hit the Darangdan area, Purwakarta agency, West Java.

“Materials covered the roads so that vehicles couldn’t pass,” toll road operator PT Jasa Marga Purbaleunyi’s chief of traffic subdirectorate Andrie Kustiawan told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday evening.

He said the landslide blocked the traffic from heading in the direction of Jakarta from Bandung and that drivers were asked to turn back and exit the toll road via the Padalarang gate. “They were directed to reenter the Cipularang toll road via the Jatiluhur gate and continue their journey to Jakarta,” said Andrie.

Andrie had yet to confirm the volume of material at the location. Responding to developments, Jasa Marga officials created a contra flow starting from km 102 to km 96.

To clear the toll road, police would be using an excavator brought in from Ciganea in Purwakarta regency.

West Java police spokesman Adj. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said that the materials brought by the landslide had to be immediately cleaned up so that the road could function again.

“The landslide has caused a long queue up to km 120,” said Martinus.

To prevent the queue from getting longer, Jasa Marga officials closed the toll gates on the Padalarang toll road, with all vehicles being redirected to Purwakarta. (ebf)