Spending Rp547 Billion, Minister Of Transportation Targets New Mentawai Airport Construction To Be Completed In August 2022

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi/DOC VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi targets the construction of the New Mentawai Airport in the Mentawai Islands Regency, West Sumatra, to be completed in August 2022. Later, the airport will replace the existing airport, namely Rokot Sipora Airport.

The Minister of Transportation said Rokot Airport currently only has a runway length of 850 meters. This runway can only accommodate Grand Caravan propeller aircraft. Therefore, a new runway was built to accommodate larger aircraft.

Budi explained that the Ministry of Transportation has prepared a budget of Rp547 billion to build the New Mentawai Airport. Currently, the construction progress has reached about 42 percent.

"With the solidarity between the Regional Government, TNI, Polri, and other related elements, God willing, we can support the completion of the airport, which we plan to complete in August 2022 and we will invite the President to inaugurate it," he said in a written statement, quoted Sunday, November 21.

The Minister of Transportation claimed to have asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and contractors to implement the work to accelerate the development process by adding human resources (HR), equipment, and optimizing working time.

Mentawai Baru Airport, explained the Minister of Transportation, will be equipped with a number of facilities such as a longer runway of 1,500 x 30 meters from the previous only 850 meters. Then, equipped with an apron measuring 175 x 75 meters; taxiway 75 x 15 meters which can accommodate three ATR 72 500/600 type aircraft; and a passenger terminal measuring 1,600 m2 which can accommodate as many as 53,881 pax per year.

Besides being able to improve connectivity between regions around the Mentawai Islands, Budi assessed that the presence of transportation facilities and infrastructure is expected to increase the tourism sector in the islands, which are famous for the waves that are hunted by surfing sports fans in the world.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor of West Sumatra, Audy Joinaldi, is optimistic that the presence of the new airport will be able to revive the community's economy. He also said that he would also support intermodal integration from Minangkabau International Airport to Mentawai, which is connected either by train, ship, or airplane.

In line with the Deputy Governor, the Regent of the Mentawai Islands, Yudas Sabaggalet, explained that the construction of a new airport will support the Mentawai Islands Regency to be separated from underdeveloped areas. Yudas also said that he had built the Trans Mentawai land road connecting three islands, namely: Siberut, Sipora, and Pagai.

Responding to this, the Minister of Transportation said that he would help provide ro-ro ships next year, to integrate them with the Trans Mentawai road.

"For Sipora-Siberut, God willing, it will be held in 2022 and for Sipora-Pagai it will be held in 2023," said Budi Karya.