Indonesia works to repair 413 disaster-hit religious sites in Aceh

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3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Public Works Ministry is advancing the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 413 disaster-damaged public facilities across Aceh Province, including places of worship and religious schools.

“The Public Works Ministry will continue providing assistance for the recovery of disaster-affected infrastructure and facilities. The most important thing is to ensure that residents can resume their activities and have adequate access to basic services,” Minister Dody Hanggodo said in a statement on Sunday.

As of Oct. 12, the ministry had begun construction work at 116 places of worship across Aceh, representing 86.67 percent of the target of 137, to help communities worship safely as the province recovers from widespread floods and landslides that struck last year.

Restoration work is being tailored to the extent of damage at each facility, including roof and ceiling replacement or repairs, wall painting, and repairs to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installations.

As part of its community empowerment efforts, the ministry has employed 1,351 local workers to carry out the construction work, with the aim of generating economic benefits for residents during the recovery phase.

The initiative extends beyond places of worship, with the ministry also planning to rehabilitate 69 Islamic boarding schools, locally known as pesantren. Of that number, construction work has begun at 34 schools.

Additionally, the ministry is addressing damage at 150 Islamic schools as part of a program targeting 207 schools for repairs. The work includes roof and ceiling repairs, wall painting, floor elevation, ceramic tile installation, and other improvements considered essential to supporting teaching and learning activities.

The Public Works Ministry assured the public that it would continue overseeing all construction work while paying attention to quality standards, conditions on the ground, and the actual needs at each location.