Badung Studies 2.4-Kilometre Tunnel Plan From Gatsu Barat to Canggu

Mangupura — Badung Regency is studying plans for an underground road tunnel of around 2.4 kilometres from the Gatot Subroto (Gatsu) Barat area toward Canggu, with land acquisition targeted for 2027 and construction aimed for 2028, Regent I Wayan Adi Arnawa told reporters in early September 2026. The project is intended to ease traffic congestion in Canggu and open a new access corridor toward northern Badung, but it remains at the planning and feasibility stage.

According to local daily Tribun Bali, the planned tunnel would start from Gatsu Barat and run westward beneath densely built-up areas, emerging to connect left toward Canggu and right toward Mengwitani and Werdi Bhuwana. Arnawa described the corridor as part of a wider plan to build a ring road network around Badung and create a new backbone route to Badung Utara.

Regional outlet Detik Bali reported that technical planning for the Gatsu Barat–Canggu–Terminal Mengwi corridor envisages a total alignment of about 3.2 kilometres between Gatsu Barat and Canggu, including a main tunnel section of roughly 2.4 kilometres at a depth of around 15 metres below ground. The regency has discussed collaborating with Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. Ltd (STEC), a China-based tunnel specialist, to prepare the concept and technical studies.

Early-stage concept with paid-road option

Arnawa told Tribun Bali that Badung plans to begin land acquisition for the tunnel corridor in 2027, with construction targeted to start in 2028 and be finished by the end of that year. Detik Bali separately reported that the broader Gatsu Barat–Canggu–Mengwi ring-road concept is designed as a roughly 19-kilometre network, with land acquisition also foreseen from 2027 and construction continuing in 2028.

Both reports note that Badung is considering making the new corridor a paid road. Arnawa said the regency is studying the application of Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) or other electronic payment systems for vehicles using the new link, although tariffs and operating details have not yet been announced.

Detik Bali cited preliminary cost estimates indicating construction expenses of about Rp 1.45 billion per metre for the tunnel segment, with total costs for the Gatsu Barat–Canggu tunnel project projected at around Rp 3.5 trillion. These figures remain planning estimates rather than a tendered budget.

Part of broader road programme in South Bali

The tunnel proposal sits alongside a separate road project intended to ease congestion in Canggu, Berawa and Tibubeneng. In late August 2026, English-language outlet The Bali Sun reported that Badung is accelerating works on an alternative connectivity corridor of about 4.7 kilometres linking Canggu, Berawa, Banjar Umalas, Seminyak and Kedampang to West Teuku Umar in Denpasar. Speaking at a local sports event, Arnawa said the first phase of this road is scheduled to start in 2026 and is targeted for completion by the end of December 2026.

Badung’s official government website has also described the 4.7‑kilometre Canggu–Berawa–Umalas–Seminyak–Kedampang–Teuku Umar Barat corridor as part of efforts to redistribute traffic and reduce the concentration of vehicles in Canggu and Tibubeneng. Local media including Bali Tribune have reported the same route and timeline, noting that the project is being pursued as an alternative to existing congested roads in South Bali’s tourism districts.

Authorities and local outlets have additionally referred to a wider programme of road upgrades and ring roads in South Bali, including a Southern Ring Road and extended corridors linking Gatot Subroto, Canggu, Mengwitani and Werdi Bhuwana, aimed at supporting tourism access and regional mobility.

Congestion pressures and next steps

Arnawa has repeatedly cited traffic congestion in Canggu and Tibubeneng as a key driver for these projects, warning that persistent jams can hinder mobility, reduce tourist comfort and threaten the competitiveness of the area as a destination. Local and regional outlets consistently describe heavy traffic in these tourism zones, with growing development and limited road capacity contributing to delays for residents, businesses and visitors.

For the 2.4‑kilometre tunnel specifically, the available reporting indicates that technical studies, route design and feasibility work are ongoing. Key aspects such as the precise alignment, final tunnel length, portal locations, detailed environmental assessment and confirmed financing arrangements have not yet been set out in public documents. The concept remains a proposal rather than a committed construction project.

Sources

• Tribun Bali
• Detik Bali
• The Bali Sun
• Badung Regency Government official site
• The Bali Times
• Bali Tribune
• Bali.live
• Gobaligo
• Bali Post