TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government is planning to construct a 1.4 kilometer Holtekamp flyover to connect several regions in Papua. The Head of the National Agency of Road Implementation X at the Ministry of Public Work Uber Gultom, explained that the flyover costs Rp 821 billion (around US$72,33 million).
"The fund comes from the cooperation of the central government and the Papuan government," Uber said last Monday, November 4.
The flyover will connect the Muara Tami District with the Hamadi region located in South Jayapura District. Muara Tami District is the border region of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, hoped that the Holtekamp Bridge could be an icon for Papua, which is often being left out in terms of infrastructure development.
"Like it or not, [Papua] is the gateway for countries in the Pacific," Lukas said, as quoted from the Ministry of Public Work website.
According to Lukas, currently, Papua only has roads that were previously constructed by the Dutch colonial government. Presently, the roads are prone to traffic congestion, especially due to the traffic originating from Jayapura. In the future, Papua needs alternative roads that can alleviate traffic congestion and accelerate economic growth.
ALI HIDAYAT