TULUNGAGUNG – Tulungagung has yet to use 250 drums of asphalt provided by the East Java provincial government, nearly a year after receiving the aid. The unused material remains stored at a Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency (PUPR) workshop in Sumberdadi Village, Sumbergempol District.
The asphalt formed part of an infrastructure support program launched by East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa in 2025. Local residents have questioned the delay because several roads across the regency still require maintenance and repairs.
A visit to the workshop on Wednesday showed hundreds of asphalt drums lined up on the eastern side of the facility. Workers grouped the stockpile into three sections. Two sections contain 100 drums each, while the third contains 50 drums.
Dust now covers many of the containers after months in storage. Officials have not distributed the asphalt for road maintenance projects. The material has remained in the same location since its arrival.
Acting Tulungagung Regent Ahmad Baharudin confirmed that the regency received 250 drums from the East Java provincial government. He said the administration has not started using the asphalt because road projects require additional supporting materials.
“It is true that the asphalt has not been used yet,” Baharudin said.
According to Baharudin, the provincial government and the regency administration share responsibility for the program. The province supplies the asphalt, while the local government must prepare the construction work and other required materials.
“The asphalt comes from the provincial government, while the implementation of the project and other supporting materials are the responsibility of the regency administration,” he said.
Baharudin also rejected claims that Tulungagung received 300 drums of asphalt. He said official government records clearly show that the province delivered 250 drums.
“I do not know where the figure of 300 drums came from. If there is a source for that information, I would appreciate being informed,” he said.
Despite the delay, Baharudin said he has instructed related agencies to move forward with preparations. The administration plans to distribute the asphalt to technical units responsible for road maintenance in different parts of Tulungagung.
Officials expect the material to support repairs on damaged roads once preparations are complete. The local government has not announced a timeline for the work.
“For the implementation schedule, we will provide further information later. We ask the public to help monitor the process,” Baharudin said.
The delay has attracted public attention because road infrastructure remains a major concern in several areas. Local authorities hope to use the asphalt soon and accelerate maintenance projects throughout the regency. The administration also expects the program to improve road conditions and support daily economic activities for residents.