The Government Accelerates Infrastructure Development for Papua and West Papua

The government continues to be committed to realizing reliable infrastructure development in the provinces of Papua and West Papua. It aims to reduce poverty, reduce the cost index, and distribute infrastructure development evenly throughout Indonesia.

To support this, the government through the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) takes breakthrough steps in infrastructure development that are more integrated, precise, focused, and synergized with ministries/agencies and local governments.

"This is in accordance with the mandate of Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2020 and the direction of President Joko Widodo," said PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, quoted from the official website of the Ministry of PUPR, Friday (30/07/2021).

In 2021, the PUPR infrastructure development budget allocation for Papua Province is Rp. 6.19 trillion, with details for the Water Resources (SDA) sector of Rp. 732.87 billion, roads and bridges of Rp. 4.49 trillion, settlements of Rp. 683.03 billion, and housing of Rp. 288. 35 billion. Until now, the physical progress of the infrastructure development has reached 37.95 percent.

Meanwhile, in West Papua Province, Rp3.75 trillion was allocated for natural resources, Rp543.27 billion, roads and bridges Rp2.66 trillion, settlements Rp312.23 billion, and housing Rp228.83 billion. Until now, the infrastructure development has reached 44.09 percent.

The Minister of PUPR said that one of the ways to improve the welfare of the Papuan people was by opening up regional isolation and increasing access and connectivity from land and multimodal, including the construction of the Trans Papua Road with a total length of 3,462 kilometers.

Of the total length, currently the road that has been through is 3,446 kilometers, with 1,733 kilometers of asphalt, and 1,712 kilometers of unpaved roads. While that has not penetrated along the 16 kilometers. In 2021, the handling of the Trans Papua Road in Papua, which is 139 kilometers long and West Papua 120 kilometers, includes new construction, road opening, and structural/pavement improvement.

In addition, the PUPR Ministry is also completing the construction of the Border Road in Papua with a total length of 1,098 kilometers, of which 931 kilometers has penetrated with 756 kilometers of asphalt.

In 2021, the Border Road in Papua with a length of 34 kilometers is being worked on, including new construction, road opening, and structural/pavement improvement. In the border areas, the PUPR Ministry built the Yetetkun Cross-Border Post (PLBN) with a progress of eight percent with a target of completion in April 2022 and the Sota PLBN which has been completed in 2020, including market facilities.

Furthermore, to support the development of human resource capacity (HR), the Ministry of PUPR has built 179 schools and has handled religions, one university, and eight sports facilities in Papua. In addition, the PUPR Ministry also conducts construction services HR training involving Papuan and West Papuan native partners.

To increase local economic growth, the Ministry of PUPR has completed the rehabilitation/reconstruction of the Wouma Market in Wamena in 2020 with a budget of Rp. 2.1 billion and the rehabilitation/reconstruction of 403 shop houses in Wamena after the social conflict with a budget of Rp. 138.6 billion. Furthermore, the Ministry of PUPR is conducting an auction for the construction of the Thumburuni Market in Fakfak, West Papua with a plan to start construction in early August 2021.

Meanwhile, to provide more work space for superior, creative, and advanced Papuan children, the Ministry of PUPR is currently building a Papuan creative development center or Youth Creative Hub in Jayapura, Papua Province. Currently, the progress is in preparation for the auction and it is planned to start physical construction on August 31, 2021.

SOURCE: https://setkab.go.id/ingkatkan-pemerataan-governmental-percepat-pembinaan-infraktur-papua-dan-papua-barat/