Timika to Be Included in Sea Toll Road Project: Minister
Wamena. Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said he wants to include Timika in Papua province in the government's marine highway program, or the so-called sea toll road.
"If we can include Timika as a point on the marine highway, it would save 36 hours [of cargo travel time]. From Timika, supplies can then reach all the other cities in Papua," Budi said during a visit to Wamena, Papua, on Thursday (22/09).
The plan to optimize sea transportation is an effort by the government to address price disparities in the archipelago due to high logistical costs.
However, the minister noted that work on aviation infrastructure still needs to be pushed also to support connectivity and logistical services in Papua.
He advised local governments to play an active role in overseeing the process of logistics distribution.
"The logistic chain must be well maintained, because the practice of using brokers will have an impact on the high costs," he added.
Other than the planned extension of the Wamena Airport runway, navigation technology must be upgraded in an effort to improve aviation safety.
"This is to allow more passengers to be transported and it will be directly proportional to the price of the tickets," Budi said.
The minister is visiting several areas in Papua to convey President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's message that he seeks to ensure greater connectivity and improve operations at airports on the Indonesian part of the island, especially related to safety and security.
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