T

he West Java provincial administration’s efforts to develop the Kertajati International Airport project in Majalengka regency, West Java have been tripped up by land acquisition challenges.

The West Java provincial administration has only acquired 717 hectares of the 910 hectares needed for the first phase of construction.

West Java Regional Development Planning Agency head Deny Juanda Puradimaja hopes to finance the airport construction project through the issuance of government bonds.

“It’s better than asking for funds from the state budget, which would take a long time,” Deny said at an event on the construction and expansion of the Kertajati Airport in Bandung on Wednesday.

According to Deny, supporting funds from the central government can only be used for flight facilities, such as the runway, while the remaining funds are the provincial administration’s responsibility.

Deny proposed that the provincial government issue bonds to pay for the project due to difficulties in getting funds from the central government. He said the project’s entire Rp 4.5 trillion (US$500 million) price tag could be paid if 30 million residents in the province bought the bonds.

“We offer each bond at Rp 300,000. The population of West Java is more than 44 million. If 30 million people each buy a bond, the total amount of funds [needed for the project] would be collected and the airport could immediately be completed,” he said.

The plan to build the airport was first floated by the West Java provincial administration in 2005. According to the blueprint, the airport is to be equipped with a 4,000-meter runway for passenger as well as cargo aircraft. The project has since been included in the Masterplan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Development (MP3EI) in the northern Java economic corridor.

“We have met with the West Java Bank [BJB] managing director to discuss the proposal,” said Deny.

Deny said his office had formed a team with the BJB to determine the required technical preparations.

When the proposal moves forward, funds usage will be completely handed over to the West Java provincial administration, as the project initiator. “The bottom line is, the local administration cannot hold the funds,” he said.

The first stage of construction will prioritize the construction of flight facilities, such as the runway, which will reach between 3,000 and 3,500 meters long.

Later, the airport, will also be equipped with an auxiliary 4,000-meter-long runway.

To realize the plan, Majalengka Regent Sutrisno said his administration had formed a team to accelerate the project’s development.

“We have sent them to Batam [Riau Islands] and Manado [North Sulawesi] for comparative studies. We are positive the project is closely related with the region’s economic growth,” he said.