TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi stated that his ministry is seeking to highlight the Kalimantan culture in the construction of a very very important person (VVIP) airport in the new capital city of Nusantara (IKN).

"We will invest all-out efforts to ensure that the airport's architecture will highlight the Kalimantan culture, while adopting the concept of green airport," he said in a statement received on Saturday, August 5, 2023.

He also expressed hope that the airport will become operational by the 79th anniversary of the Independence Day of Indonesia next year.

"We are making preparations for building the airport, whose runway and terminals will be developed according to the designs made by the nation's talents. Hopefully, the airport will become operational by August 17, 2024," he noted.

On Saturday, Minister Sumadi personally inspected the location identified for the development of the VVIP airport in Penajam Sub-district, North Penajam Paser District, East Kalimantan Province.

The development site lies approximately 25 kilometers from Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan City and about 107 kilometers from Samarinda Airport in Samarinda City. Both are international airports and serve East Kalimantan.

Minister Sumadi and Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljo were appointed by President Joko Widodo to lead and supervise the development and operation of the airport, according to Presidential Regulation No.31 of 2023 concerning acceleration of IKN's VVIP airport development and operation.

The VVIP airport will function to serve flights related to governmental activities in IKN. According to the plan, the airport will have VVIP terminals of 2,000 square meters, VIP terminals of 5,000 square meters and a runway of 3,000 x 485 meters.

For developing the VVIP airport, the government has allocated a portion of the State Budget (APBN) and acquired additional funding from other legal sources.

During his visit to East Kalimantan, Minister Sumadi also inspected the Type A Terminal Batu Ampar in Balikpapan, which will serve as a hub for land transportation connecting IKN with other regions.

The Transportation Ministry is also preparing sea transportation for the new capital city.

ANTARA

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