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Riau Islands to build airstrips in isolated regions

The Riau Islands provincial administration is to build airstrips in Bintan and Anambas regencies to open access to the two isolated regions, the governor has said

Fadli (The Jakarta Post)
Batam
Thu, July 9, 2009

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Riau Islands to build airstrips in isolated regions

The Riau Islands provincial administration is to build airstrips in Bintan and Anambas regencies to open access to the two isolated regions, the governor has said.

Governor Ismeth Abdullah said the airstrips, to be built in Tambelan Island (Bintan) and Jemaja Island (Anambas), would also play an important  role in maintaining the security of the outermost islands that directly borders other countries.

“Fish thefts have occurred in the regions. Opening access will open economic activities in the waters in the areas,” he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

The access to the two regencies was very limited so far, he added

Tambelan Island, for example, is about 300 kilometers (km) away from Tanjung Pinang, the provincial capital, and takes 11 hours to get there by ship.

Jemaja, similarly, is about 500 km from Tanjung Pinang and takes 24 hours by boat to get there. Both directly border other countries including Vietnam and Malaysia.

Head of the provincial Transportation Agency Naharuddin  said his office had finished with the detailed engineering design of the airstrips and had also proposed it to the Transportation Ministry for approval.

The Jemaja airstrip would have a 1,200-meter (m) runway and need Rp 11 billion to build. The one in  Tambelan would have a 1,100-m runway but need Rp 50 billion to finish. This, Naharuddin said, was due to Tambelan’s mountainous geographical condition.

“We will start the construction activities next year. The Transportation Ministry has given a nod to it.”

The need for airstrips, according to Naharuddin, was very urgent in the two regions. Apart from being border areas, the waters in both regencies were also closed from sea transportation services during the north season due to the high and strong waves.

“Air transportation is very urgently needed to anticipate possible paralyzed sea transportation means.”

He added the airstrips would be able to accommodate Twin Otter dan Cassa airplanes of 11-passenger capacities.

“Hopefully private investments in the tourism industry will follow this infrastructure investment.”

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