PALEMBANG (BINA MARGA) - Center for the Implementation of the National Road (BBPJN) V, Palembang accompanied the visit of the Commission V Team of the House of Representatives (DPR) of the Republic of Indonesia, Thursday Evening (11/10) related to the proposed road support for reactivation of Banding Agung Airport in Ogan Regency Komering Ulu (OKU) South.
 
Initially the operation of Banding Agung Airport was carried out by the regional government but only lasted for 1 year. With the establishment of the Lake Ranau area in South OKU Regency as a National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN), there is a desire to reactivate this airport.
 
According to the Head of BBPJN V, KGS Saiful Anwar, his party had received information that the South OKU Regency Government requested the support of national roads to their area which at the same time helped access Banding Agung Airport later. The support referred to is the transfer of the existing provincial road status into a national road under the authority of BBPJN V.
 
"South OKU Regency is the only regency that is not traversed by the national road section in South Sumatra, which is rather strange," Saiful said.
 
As mentioned above, currently the road to KSPN Lake Ranau is a provincial road that is connected to the national road in Baturaja (middle cross). The proposed road sections to be upgraded are Airport-Martapura with a length of 102 km and Martapura-Pairing along 200km.
 
BPJN V welcomes the wishes of the South OKU Regency Government because it will later connect three national road corridors, namely the Eastern Cross of Sumatra, the Central Cross of South Sumatra, and the West Cross of South Sumatra. "BBPJN V helps prepare data only at this time," concluded Saiful.
"Proposing a national road every 5 years, in 2019 a new National Road Decree (SK) will be issued. So the moment is right," he added.

Chairperson of the House of Representatives Commission V, Fary Djemy Francis, agreed that the proposed transfer of the status of the road had also been proposed so that South OKU road access could be improved towards the Eastern Cross of Sumatra by the South-Muara dua-Penyara-Kayu Agung OKU route.
 
Fary added that his party would fight for the wishes of the South OKU Regency Government. "In the near future we will bridge so that the Regent can present to the Director General of Highways for the proposed 300 km of this road," he said. (Ian)