Stairs To Fine On The Hardest Track Of Mount Rinjani For The Safety Of Climbers

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Tourism said that the construction of stairs to landing on Mount Rinjani, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) is intended to make it easy for climbers to climb and improve security for visiting tourists.

"Paperbaikan jalur dilaksanakan dalam bentuk pembuatan undakan agar mudah untuk dipijakii oleh pengacaya, bukan dengan pemasangan tangga buatan," kata Deputi Pembangunan Destinasi dan Infrastruktur Kemenpar, Hariyanto, dilansir ANTARA, Selasa, 29 Juli.

Hariyanto said the repair of the route on Mount Rinjani was centered on vulnerable points, especially on the Sembalun Volunteer Route, Segara Anak Lake.

The improvement initiative came from the Gunung Rinjani National Park Center (BTNGR) with a joint team consisting of members of the 1615 Lotim Military District Commander and Yon Zipur 18/YKR, Rinjani Squad, local porters, and volunteers.

The main goal of making this landmark is to make the lane more stable and easy to climb, especially in steep and slippery areas, thus increasing security and convenience for climbers.

Regarding the community comparing this with China, which first installed escalators in a number of mountains, Hariyanto said the Indonesian government prefers to keep natural conditions sustainable.

"As we all know, Mount Rinjani is an active volcano that is prone to landslides, so it is not suitable for the installation of stairs or escalators," said Hariyanto.

According to him, the installation of large-scale artificial structures such as escalators will have a significant impact on the landscape, ecosystem, and biodiversity.

In addition, these mountainous areas are known to be prone to landslides and ground movement, especially during the rainy season or seismic activity. Heavy infrastructure development such as escalators will be very high risk of damage and even endanger the safety of visitors.

He also explained that Rinjani's climbing adventure with physical challenges offered by nature is an attraction in itself. Installation of modern facilities such as escalators will reduce the essence of the mountain climbing experience itself and change Rinjani's character as a natural climbing destination.

"TNGR is also trying to maintain the authenticity of the climbers' experiences," he said.

In addition to installing the undakan, the Ministry of Tourism has held collaborative meetings across ministries/agencies to increase the safety and comfort of traveling, especially in mountainous areas.

The government plans, among other things, to supervise and control business licensing for the Entrepreneurship of Natural Tourism Environmental Services Facilities (PB-PSWA) and Business Licensing for the Provision of Natural Tourism Services (PB-PJWA).

Another plan he revealed was to supervise tourism business licensing according to the authority of the central government, evaluate and draft SOPs, especially related to climbing procedures, stricter supervision of touring operators, training human resources in the fields of safety and security as well as improving destination facilities and infrastructure.

Another thing that Hariyanto emphasized was that security in traveling is an important aspect in realizing quality tourism.

Safe tourism destinations will provide comfort and protection for tourists, thereby increasing satisfaction during visits.

This not only encourages tourists to return to visit, but also has the potential to expand promotions through mouth-to-mouth recommendations, which ultimately have a positive impact on the growth of the tourism sector in a sustainable manner.