Timika Airport Facility Will Be Built This Year

Timika, June 12 (Antara) - The Central Government will help finance the development of the facilities of Mozes Kilangin airport of Timika, Papua this year. A fund has been set aside in the state budget to help finance the development of the facilities including a 100x400 sq. m. apron, a taxiway and a two kilometer long drainage system of the airport, head of the air transport division of the Mimika communication service John Rettob said here on Wednesday. Construction of the taxiway is to be completed this year and the apron in 2014, John said. Development of the apron, 22,000 sq. m. wide, will be completed by phases with work to start this year, he added. The fund from the state budget will be used for the development of the apron, which is to be completed in 2014 to be operational in 2015, he said. Meanwhile, the Mimika district administration will allocate fund for the development of other facilities including the taxiway and passenger terminal this year. The taxi way development will cost around Rp6 billion and the passenger terminal around Rp11 billion, he said. Tender is in process for the construction of the taxiway and the passenger terminal to be built with fund from the Mimika district budget 2013. The development of the facilities - apron, taxiway and passenger terminal - is needed to improve the quality of growing commercial flights in the region. All facilities available now at the Mozes Kilangin airport are owned by PT Freeport Indonesia, a US company having big copper and gold mines in Papua.