Govt to begin new Yogyakarta airport project soon

Kulon Progo. Vice President Jusuf Kalla urged related stakeholders on new Yogyakarta airport to accelerate land procurement process for the airport development.

“I wish this issue can be resolved by May this year so we can hold the ground breaking ceremony soon after,” said the Vice President in a meeting held at the Air Force Base in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, today.

In the meeting, Kulon Progo Regent Hasto Wardoyo reported that 98 percent of land allocated for the airport has been taken over.

Additionally, the National Land Agency (BPN) office in Yogyakarta stated that the compensation value for the lands will be decided in February and March, and the compensation is targeted to be paid in April.

Regarding local residents who still refuse to give up their land for the project, Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X said his administration will make persuasive approach to resolve the issue.

The state airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) at the forum explained that the new airport in Kulon Progo will have a capacity of 15 million passengers per year, so it will be capable of holding the rise in the number of passenger 7 million per year.

“The new airport can accommodate up to 41,000 passengers and 300 flights per day,” said an official from AP I, adding that it will have one runway with 3,600 meters in length and thus it will enable large aircrafts to have more space to maneuver.

To give a better access to the airport, the state-owned railway company PT KAI will build a railway station at the airport. The new airport is 43 kilometers away from the city of Yogyakarta and can be reached within a half an hour using train.

The Vice President at the end of the meeting mandated that the development of the new airport propose modern and functional architecture, similar to some newest Indonesian airports like Kualanamu in Medan, Sultan Hasanuddin in Makassar, and Juanda in Surabaya.

He further hoped the airport will boost the economy and tourism in Yogyakarta and surrounding.

Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara, National Development Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil, and Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi also attended the meeting.