Jokowi Hopes Cisumdawu Toll Road Triggers Increased Passenger Traffic At BIJB Kertajati

President Joko Widodo gave a press statement after reviewing West Java International Airport (BIJB) Kertajati, in Majalengka, West Java, Tuesday (11/7/2023). ANTARA/Gilang Galiartha

MAJALENGKA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the West Java International Airport (BIJB) Kertajati and the Cileunyi-Sumedang-Dawuan (Cisumdawu) Toll Road should be completed simultaneously.

"But because of the problem with the Cisumdawu land acquisition process, the toll road is delayed and cannot support Kertajati's operations," said President Jokowi after reviewing the BIJB Kertajati facility, Majalengka, West Java, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, July 11.

After BIJB Kertajati, the President is scheduled to inaugurate the Cisumdawu Toll Road, precisely on the Km 169 section in Sumedang Regency.

The President hopes that the full operation of the Cisumdawu Toll Road will soon support the development of BIJB Kertajati.

This is because the Cisumdawu Toll Road is estimated to cut Bandung-BIJB Kertajati's travel time to only one hour.

"After this is finished, I am sure that this airport will become a future airport with very congested traffic," said Jokowi.

In addition to the presence of the Cisumdawu Toll Road, the Government has also encouraged the development of BIJB Kertajati through the transfer of commercial flights from Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung.

"For the (airplane jet) in October, the propeller is a maximum of one year," said Jokowi.

At the same time, it is planned that foreign investors who are interested in managing BIJB Kertajati are also expected to be able to complete the necessary process before October.

The reason is, the President hopes that the presence of foreign investor management can trigger flight traffic at BIJB Kertajati.

The President said that currently BIJB Kertajati has been used as a Hajj embarkation airport that serves around 8,000 pilgrims from seven regencies/cities in West Java.

BIJB Kertajati also serves Umrah flights four times a week and international flights from Kuala Lumpur with a frequency of two times a week.

As of May 28, 2023, Kertajati Airport has returned to operation by serving Hajj and Umrah flights.

Kertajati Airport is the second largest airport in Indonesia after Soekarno-Hatta Airport. The airport has a passenger terminal capacity of 5.6 million passengers per year.

Kertajati Airport is one of the National Strategic Projects (PSN) in West Java which is being developed by the Government.

Meanwhile, the Cisumdawu Toll Road is spread along 61.75 km and will be the main access to Kertajati Airport in Majalengka. The Cisumdawu Toll Road is also one of the projects from PSN in West Java.

The Cisumdawu Toll Road consists of 6 sections built with a Government and Business Entity Cooperation (KPBU) scheme with a construction cost of IDR 5.5 trillion.