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New airports to boost national connectivity
Increasing demand for air transportation services, along with the people’s increasing ability to travel by air, has led the government to increase accessibility — and connectivity — through infrastructure development at airports
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span>Increasing demand for air transportation services, along with the people’s increasing ability to travel by air, has led the government to increase accessibility — and connectivity — through infrastructure development at airports. The government’s efforts to provide ease and connectivity for people to travel is part of its constitutional obligation to ensure everyone’s right to fly.
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi in a recent exclusive interview with The Jakarta Post said the government would uphold its commitment to provide connectivity across the country by continuing the development of new airports in the next five years.
Under the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), the Transportation Ministry plans to build 12 more airports across the country.
The 12 airports projects are the Bukit Malintang Airport in Mandailing Natal, North Sumatra, Bolaang Mongondow Airport in North Sulawesi, Pahuwato Airport in Gorontalo, Sukabumi Airport in West Java, Singkawang Airport in West Kalimantan, Ngloram Cepu Airport in Blora, East Java and the Buktu Kunik Airport in Toraja,
South Sulawesi, and Banggai Airport in Banggai Islands, Central Sulawesi. The other four are to be built in Papua: Sobaham Airport in Yahukimo, New Nabire Airport in Nabire, Siboru Airport in Fakfak, West Papua, and Towe Hitam Airport in Keerom.
Budi said the new airport development plan was based on three main motives — opening connectivity and accessibility in the remote and outermost areas of Indonesia, boosting regional and national economic growth, as well as expanding tourism.
“The most important thing is connectivity. With connectivity people in Miangas will feel they are part of Indonesia, while people in Rote and Merauke can feel that they are Indonesians and that within a day they can fly to the capital city,” the minister said.
“The right of people [to fly] in Papua should be the same as for people In Jakarta,” he said.
The development of airports in the next few years will also focus on providing connectivity to potential tourism destinations, especially the “10 New Balis”.
Budi said by next year the runway of Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado, for example, would be expanded from 2,650 meters to 2,800 m, while the runway of the Labuan Bajo Airport will be expanded from 2,200 m to 2,700 m.
“The runway expansion is expected to accommodate more take-off and landing frequency and will bring in more tourists,” he said.
To boost tourism in Toraja, for example, the government will develop a new airport, the Buntu Kunik Airport. In the first stage of development, the new airport will have a 30 by 1,600 meter runway and accommodate ATR-72 aircraft.
The government is completing the development of 15 new airports under the 2015-2019 RPJMN. As of today, 10 airports have been completed, namely Letung Anambas, Namniwel, Miangas, Morowali, Werur, Maratua, Koroway Batu, Kertajati, New Samarinda and Tebelia Airport. These exclude several new airports that have been built by state-owned airport operators Angkasa Pura I and II, such as the Yogyakarta International Airport and the Jenderal Soedirman Airport in Wirasaba, Purbalingga, Central Java.
The government has also carried out development and maintenance at 103 airports in borders areas, the development of runways at 109 airports, the development of 231 airports in disaster-prone areas and the development of 194 airports in isolated areas.
Transportation expert Djoko Setijowarno said the development of new airports was well on track. He, however, called on the government to prioritize airport development in rural, remote and isolated areas rather than the more advanced Java regions.
“Developing airports does not only serve economic, security and tourism functions. In these remote, rural and isolated areas, airports serve a social purpose, for example, sick people in Anambas can easily go to the hospital in Tanjung Pinang [Riau Islands] by airplane form Letung Airport, as opposed to spending hours by ferry. It is the duty of the government to provide this accessibility,” he said.
