Jakarta – Bobby Nasution, mayor of Medan, North Sumatra, has denied allegations of the city laying ceramic tiles at an intersection on Jl. Sudirman, which led to several motorcycle accidents.
"They aren't ceramic tiles. We have explained on official social media accounts of Medan administration and related institutions that they are not tiles," said Bobby.
Bobby said that the intersection renovation used concrete not tiles, and the work was still under way. However, he acknowledged that the concrete used on the surface of the intersection caused the road to become slippery.
Residents took to social media platforms, including X and Instagram, to voice their complaints, claiming that 18 motorcyclists had skidded at the intersection due to the road's smooth surface.
The city's water resources and public works agency chief, Topan Oboja Putra, said the viral videos concerning the intersection's condition were taken during a trial run on Monday afternoon.
There was a miscommunication between the Medan Police and the transportation agency, which resulted in authorities opening the intersection for the public when the trial was still under way.
"The coating is the reason for the road being slippery. After applying the coating, we had to douse it with chemicals. The road was slippery because it had not been washed yet," said Topan.
Topan said the renovations would conclude next week, and the public could pass through the intersection again.
Transportation expert Agus Sani said bikers must pay extra attention when traversing slippery roads to prevent accidents like those at the Jl. Sudirman intersection.