During the recess activities of the North Sumatra Provincial Legislative Council member from the PDI Perjuangan faction, held from October 5 to 14, 2025 in the Siantar-Simalungun electoral district, attention was drawn to the weak handling of basic infrastructure in several areas.
One concern raised came from a resident of Sukadame Village, North Siantar District, Pematangsiantar City, who lives in the Sisingamangaraja Road area, a national road located right in front of SMP Negeri 7 Pematangsiantar.
They highlighted the shallow and narrow drainage conditions, making the area prone to flooding every time it rains.
“If it rains for just half an hour, water immediately rises onto the road. Schoolchildren have difficulty passing through, motorists slip, and local residents are forced to wait for the water to recede before they can resume activities. The drainage here needs to be normalized, widened, and deepened immediately,” said the resident with a concerned tone during the recess meeting with the council member.
A similar complaint was expressed by another resident in the same area. They added that besides poor drainage, the lack of street lighting worsens the security conditions on Sisingamangaraja Road.
“There are almost no streetlights here, so it gets very dark at night. Several criminal incidents have occurred, including my own sibling who fell victim to a mugging. Their newly purchased iPhone 15 was snatched while passing through this road,” shared the resident with a disappointed tone.
In response, the council member assessed that this situation reflects the slow response of the city government in addressing flood and public safety issues. They emphasized that basic infrastructure problems like drainage and street lighting should be top priorities in urban governance.
“Issues like this are not new. But what’s concerning is that years pass, officials change, yet the problems remain the same. Shallow drainage, dark roads, overflowing water, residents suffering. This is clear evidence that urban infrastructure planning and maintenance are not functioning effectively,” stressed the council member.
They also highlighted that a national road, which should be a safe route, instead becomes a crime-prone location whenever flooding occurs and lighting is inadequate.
“This isn’t just about drainage, it’s also about resident safety. Main roads should be well-lit, safe, and comfortable for all road users,” added the council member.
Besides Pematangsiantar City, similar concerns were raised by residents in Simalungun Regency. A resident of Nagori Pantoan Maju, Siantar District, Simalungun Regency, complained about the drainage conditions on Asahan Road KM 4, a provincial road that frequently floods during rain.
“Every time there’s heavy rain, water overflows onto the road and causes traffic jams. Asahan Road has heavy vehicle traffic, but its drainage is narrow and hasn’t been repaired for a long time. We hope the provincial government will widen and normalize the drainage as soon as possible,” they said.
Addressing these various concerns, the council member reaffirmed their commitment to bring all field findings to the provincial level, while encouraging synergy between the North Sumatra Provincial Government and the Pematangsiantar City Government as well as Simalungun Regency Government.
“I don’t want complaints like these to just become notes in the recess book. This should serve as an alarm for local governments that the community is tired of the same floods, dark roads, and recurring crime threats,” concluded the council member.
