REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MAMASA -- Deputy Transportation Minister Bambang Susantono inaugurated the operation of Sumarorong airport at Mamasa district in West Sulawesi province on Tuesday.
"This airport aims to strengthen economic connectivity as part of fair distribution of development," Bambang stated after inaugurating Sumarorong airport.
He noted that with the ease of flow of goods and passengers to Mamasa by using air transportation, the economic development in the region could be strengthened.
He pointed out that the Sumarorong airport was expected to ease the access to Mamasa district, which is situated in a mountainous area, and could be reached within 8 hours by overland transport from Makassar city in South Sulawesi.
"But with air transportation, following the operation of Sumarorong airport, it will take only one hour from the same city," he elaborated.
According to Bambang, the airport was built at a cost of Rp107 billion from the state budget, but its runway will be extended.
"We are going to extend the Sumarorong airport's runway from 900 meters to 1.2 thousand meters in 2014 to increase the number of flights because the number of passengers is expected to increase," the deputy transportation minister noted.
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