President Jokowi Will Inaugurate The Tana Toraja Airport And The Pettarani AP Flyarani Makassar Airport

MAKASSAR - President Joko Widodo is scheduled to inaugurate Buntu Kunik Airport, Tana Toraja and the AP Pettarani elevated toll road, Makassar, South Sulawesi. The inauguration will be carried out by Jokowi on Thursday, November 12 as well as handing over productive presidential assistance to MSMEs.

This was conveyed by the Acting Head of the Palace Protocol Bureau, Jusuf Permana, during a video conference with the Regional Secretary (Sekda) of South Sulawesi Abdul Hayat Gani, at the Baruga Lounge of the Governor's office, Monday, November 9.

South Sulawesi Regional Secretary, Abdul Hayat Gani, expressed his appreciation for President Jokowi's willingness to inaugurate the Buntu Kunik Airport in Tana Toraja and the AP Pettarani Flyover. South Sulawesi Provincial Government is ready to welcome the President.

The South Sulawesi Provincial Government will also prepare a PCR car, so that those who accompany or enter the event location will be swabed first. This step is to ensure that no one is positive for COVID-19.

Buntu Kunik Airport was built on a land area of 141 hectares, with a runway length of 1,600 meters in the initial stage that can accommodate ATR-type aircraft. Then the apron is 94.5 x 67 meters and the taxiway is 124.5 x 15 meters. Meanwhile, the terminal building area is around 1,000 square meters which can accommodate 150 passengers.

In 2018, the construction of phase I was continued by the central government until it was finally completed in mid-2020. The aircraft belonging to the airline Wings Air became the first commercial aircraft to land at Toraja Airport on August 20, 2020.

The landing of the ATR / 72-600 aircraft was carried out after a trial run with the Hawker 900 XP calibration type aircraft belonging to the Ministry of Transportation the previous week.

In the next stage of development, the runway will be extended to 2,000 meters, so it is targeted that large-capacity aircraft such as the Boeing 737 can land at Buntu Kunik Airport.

With the presence of this new airport will further add value to the development of tourism in Toraja. Of course with this airport, it will further increase tourist visits to Toraja, no longer having to go by land with a travel time of eight to 9 hours, but now only about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, the construction of the 4.3 Km AP Pettarani elevated toll road is an investment project with an investment value of Rp 2.243 trillion involving more than 2,000 workers.

This Toll Road is an extension of Section I and II Toll Roads and there is no addition of new toll gates. Toll payment transactions will be carried out at four existing BMN Toll Gates, namely the Cambaya, Kalukubodoa, Parangloe and East Tallo Toll Gates.