EN.malanginspirasi.com – East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa officially broke ground on the Jalur Lingkar Kaldera Tengger (JLKT) project on Monday, April 13, 2026.
The project is far more than just road construction. It represents a comprehensive transformation designed to turn Bromo into an orderly, safe, comfortable, and globally competitive tourist destination. All while preserving its fragile environment and rich local cultural heritage.
Governor Khofifah explained that the JLKT was created to solve the long-standing problem of visitor overcrowding at certain hotspots. By connecting multiple areas around the caldera, the new route will distribute tourists more evenly across the region. This will ease pressure on the ecosystem while spreading economic benefits more widely and inclusively to surrounding communities.
“For a long time, tourists have tended to gather in just one spot. With the JLKT, visitor distribution will be much more balanced, protecting the environment and boosting the local economy,” Khofifah stated.
Strong Environmental Commitment
One of the project’s most distinctive features is its firm dedication to sustainability. The 13-kilometer-long, 18-meter-wide ring road will not be asphalted in order to maintain the area’s natural carrying capacity.
Instead, construction focuses on environmentally friendly supporting facilities, including the installation of 9,725 boundary stakes and the creation of 60 water infiltration wells to preserve groundwater balance.
“We are not paving the road because we want to protect the natural carrying capacity of the land. We are also aligning this route with the traditional strength of the Tengger people. There is harmony between environmental protection, cultural empowerment, and economic improvement,” Khofifah emphasized.
In addition to the main infrastructure, basic tourist needs are also being addressed. On the same day, Governor Khofifah inaugurated a clean water facility with a 12,000-liter tank capacity to serve the Watu Gede and Cemoro Lawang areas. The water is sourced directly from the Pusung Jantur and Widodaren springs.
Three new rest areas equipped with adequate toilets were also built to address longstanding complaints about insufficient public facilities. The project further includes four strategic parking pockets as part of the overall spatial arrangement.
With full support from the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Authority (BB-TNBTS) under the Ministry of Forestry and leaders of the Tengger indigenous community, the JLKT development is projected to become a modern model for conservation-area management. It aims to strike the perfect balance between increasing tourist visits, preserving the spiritual values of the Tengger people, and protecting the vulnerable ecosystem.
The initiative is expected not only to enhance visitor comfort and safety but also to serve as an inspiring example for the management of other natural tourism destinations across Indonesia, proving that economic development can go hand in hand with ecological responsibility and respect for local wisdom.
