Samarinda Baru Airport Runway`s Construction to be Completed by 2016

Balikpapan, E.Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - The East Kalimantan provincial administration has promised to complete the construction of a 2,250-meter long and 45-meter wide runway of the Samarinda Baru Airport (BSB) in Sungai Siring District, East Kalimantan, by end of 2016.

"In accordance with a permit from the Ministry of Transportation, the construction of the Samarinda Baru Airport`s runway was approved and will have a length of 2,250 meters and a width of 45 meters. It will be completed by the end of 2016," Head of the East Kalimantan Transportation Office Zairin Zain stated here on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the apron, with a length of 100 meters and a width of 300 meters, is also under construction.

Currently, the construction of the runway has reached 2,250 meters, Zain remarked.

He affirmed that the administration will propose to expand the runway up to 2.5 thousand meters long.

"With a length of 2,250 meters, more wide-bodied aircrafts will be able to land in Samarinda," Zain noted.

The airport will replace Temindung Airport, which was originally built in 1973, and will function as an important regional transportation center, passenger hub, and gateway for 15 destinations in Indonesia.

The BSB is an important contributor to Samarinda`s economy as it will be East Kalimantan`s busiest cargo gateway and passenger airport.

About 6 airlines will operate their flights from the airport to 15 cities across Indonesia. The BSB will handle 5 million passengers. (*)