TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Mentawai airport to be expanded
The West Sumatra government is to expand Rokot Airport, the only airport in Mentawai Islands regency, to accommodate larger planes with capacities of 70 to 100 passengers
Change Size
T
he West Sumatra government is to expand Rokot Airport, the only airport in Mentawai Islands regency, to accommodate larger planes with capacities of 70 to 100 passengers.
West Sumatra transportation, communication and informatics office head Amran said the plan for the expansion of the airport located on Sipora Island had been proposed in the 2016 state budget.
"We've proposed the construction of a 1,400-meter runway with a width of 35 meters at a cost of Rp 400 billion to Rp 500 billion," Amran said on Tuesday.
The proposed runway will be built 200 meters from the existing one. The old runway, at a length of 900 meters and a width of 23 meters, was located too close the coastline, he said.
"The airport's expansion will be built on a 160-hectare plot of land, including 40 hectares owned by the airport's management. Seventy hectares have been cleared and Mentawai Islands regency has pledged to complete the rest this year," Amran said, adding the existing airport was in poor condition.
The airport is served by aircraft from Susi Air with a capacity of seven to 10 passengers and two to three flights a week from Padang, depending on demand.
"The expansion of the airport is important to enable Mentawai to progress and also to help respond to natural disasters by accommodating Hercules planes [for evacuation],' he said.
Mentawai Islands Deputy Regent Rijel Samaloisa hailed the plan and said the land-clearing process would be sped up. (hhr)(++++)
