Descriptive text

Daendels Road 

 

               Daendels road is a road built on the orders of Dutch Governor Herman Willem Daendels who became the ruler of the Dutch East Indies between 1808 until 1811. Daendels Road stretches along 1000 kilometers follow the northern part of the island of Java and most of it along the coast of Java. Therefore, this path is later known as the pantura road, an acronym from the north coast (pantai utara). The road connects the western end of the island of Java on the coast of Anyer to almost the eastern tip of Java island in Panarukan, Situbondo. In every 4.5 kilometers is established a post as a stop-over and liaison shipping letters. The purpose of building Daendels Road is to facilitate communication between areas controlled by Daendels along Java Island and as a bastion of defense on the North Coast of Java Island.

               The location of Daendels road that follow the north coast of Java gives strategic value. Along the path through Daendels street, there are many of large and small ports. Starting international ports such as Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, Tanjung Perak in Surabaya to fishing landing ports of traditional fish in Tuban and Panarukan. In addition, along the street Daendels there are also thousands of large, medium and small factories. Start heavy industries such as Cement and Fertilizer in Gresik, steel factory in Cilegon and Lamongan until small industries terasi in Palang, Tuban. Initially, the road was intended Daendels as the army's mobilization path between Batavia and Surabaya for the defense of Java island from the British attack.

               Daendels pressed local rulers to build or widen existing roads with a target of a few kilometers and within a year the entire trans-Java route had to be completed. If it fails to meet the target, the local rulers and their workers will be killed and their heads hanging on either side of the road being built. As the result, local rulers mobilize their people to work hard without rewards. Thus, many of them are victims of hunger. In addition, malaria attacks also become the second killer after hunger. According to British sources, 12,000 people were recorded dead in that giant project. However , the actual number of victims is believed to be much larger.

References :

https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalan_Raya_Pos

https://www.kaskus.co.id/thread/515bde97601243ec6f000001/mengenal-sejarah-singkat-jalan-daendels-anyer-panarukan-1000-km/