Inland Papuans Feel Affordable Prices Thanks to the Air Bridge

Inland Papuans Feel Affordable Prices Thanks to the Air Bridge

The Bridge Program carried out by the Ministry of Transportation in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, is very much felt by the people in the interior of Papua Kalimantan and Sulawesi, especially areas that are geographically impossible to reach by other modes other than air transportation.
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The Director General of Civil Aviation, Polana B, Pramesti said that the 2019 pioneer route network was 190 passenger routes, 39 cargo routes from 19 regional coordinators spread across Indonesia and specifically for Papua and West Papua had 120 pioneer routes.
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"This 2019, pioneering passenger air transport routes and cargo pioneering air transports known as the largest air bridges are served in the regions of Papua and West Papua in the hope that they can support a reduction in price disparities in remote areas that cannot be served by other modes," explained Polana in Jakarta, Wednesday (4/12/2019).
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This was also conveyed by, resident of the Bintang - Papua Mountains, Yohanes F Kayarmabin, a 35-year-old man. Every day he served as Director of the Subdistrict Cargo Storage Warehouse at the Oksibil Airport.
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"The decline can be up to 50%, even 70% for certain commodities and, the residents are unbelievably unbelievable, this Cargo Subsidy Program is very helpful to us. The 25 kg rice, which was originally priced at Rp 800 thousand, can now be obtained at Rp 500 thousand. Likewise other basic needs such as oil, salt, sugar, flour, beef, chicken, coffee, instant noodles, until sardines, soap, and pampers, "said Yohanes
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It all happened thanks to the air bridge program ordered by President Jokowi through the Ministry of Transportation. Through this program, basic needs from Tanah Merah to Oksibil are transported at state expense.
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Bintang Mountains or Pegubin, for example. The district has a population of nearly 90 thousand people, 90 percent of its territory is located in the highlands of the mountains with an altitude between 400 to 4,000 meters above sea level.
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Pegubin is one of the districts in Papua directly adjacent to a neighboring country, Papua New Guinea. The newly created district of Jayawijaya has an area of ​​14,655.36 km² which is divided into 34 districts - sub-district level - with Oksibil as its capital.
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Yohanes hopes that airlines carrying subsidized cargo can be further improved. "First, it must be ensured that daily flights between 3-5 times run smoothly and consistently. Next, we hope that the frequency of flights can be added again, "he explained.
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The air bridge through sub-cargo cargo aircraft carrying 1,200 kg of cargo one way or about 8-10 tons of goods each day. This amount is felt to be far from enough to meet the needs of residents of the City of Oksibil and the surrounding districts and villages, for example the Districts of Oksepang, Okbape, Serambakon, as well as Yapimakot and Dabolding Villages.
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"In the Bintang Mountains region there are a total of 76 airports, in addition to the Oksibil Airport in the district capital," said Acting. Head of Oksibil Airport, Agus Hadi. Specifically Oksibil Airport, every day serves 50 aircraft movements, meaning there are 100 take offs and landing from the airport to Tanah Merah in Boven Digoel and Sentani, Jayapura.
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The severity of the terrain to inland areas which can only be reached by air transportation often makes the price of basic necessities in the Gunung Bintang Regency soar. The price of premium type of fuel has exceeded Rp 150 thousand per liter, while in 'normal' conditions the average price of gasoline reaches Rp 45 thousand per liter.
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"The high price of building materials also makes the cost of building houses very high. Almost all houses are made of wood, because the price of cement and materials is very expensive. Building a stone house here can cost around Rp. 15 million per square meter, "said Agus Hadi.
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The Head of the Transportation Service of the Bintang Alferus Sanuari Regency Regency hopes that the price of goods can be reduced again, namely by the existence of a special Sea Toll that serves the delivery of goods to the Bintang Mountains and the Ministry of Transportation's Air Bridge is connected.
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"So goods from Surabaya via the Sea Toll to Boven Digoel are specifically intended for Bintang Mountains residents. From there, it was immediately sent to Oksibil through the Pioneer Cargo Air Freight Sub-program, "he said.
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The Pioneer Cargo subsidy made the people of Bintang Mountains smile brightly. Bright as the pride of the superior product 'Oksibil Coffee' and the huge potential for mining exploration in the district inhabited by the Ngalum Tribe.