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'Aceh Jaya' is a regency (''kabupaten'') of Aceh, Indonesia. The seat of the regency is Calang.

Contents

2004 earthquake

Aftermath and rebuilding

Highway controversy

2004 earthquake

On December 26 2004, the regency was affected by the Indian Ocean earthquake.

Aftermath and rebuilding

The Indonesian Government has announced that a rebuilt Calang will be sited further inland. This earthquake led to a terrible loss of lives. However, individual families and businesses have decided to rebuild at the same location along the coast. By October 2006 substantial parts of the town of Calang have been reconstructed, including a small hotel and a number of restaurants and other businesses. Electric power service and cell phone communications have been restored. Many people along the coast are still in transitional housing but progress has been made by the various local and many international organizations who are assisting with the reconstruction.

Highway controversy

It is still difficult to reach Calang from Banda Aceh because the road along the west coast has been washed out or was completely washed away in many places. A rough temporary alternative road has been built in such locations. A large river crossing is without a bridge and only a raft, with limited capacity is available. USAID had taken on the task of completely rebuilding the 150 km stretch of road from banda Aceh to Calang, but due to the need for land acquisition for a widened highway, no progress has been made so far with actual construction. Transport delays and problems led to a lack of much needed building materials in the district.
Other equally affected roads have been completely rebuilt in less than 18 months, for instance the road from Calang to Meulaboh 100 km further south in the district of Aceh Barat which has been built with the help of the Government of Japan. This road was built with a more modest road standard.