By: Rebecca Marian)*
The Trans Papua road continues to be accelerated so that it can be completed on time. This road is a very important infrastructure for the Papuan people which is expected to support the mobility of goods and services, especially various basic needs.
Papua is a potential area for tourism and has many favorite places for foreign tourists, for example the peaks of Mount Jayawijaya and Raja Ampat. However, there is one challenge when visiting the Cendrawasih Earth, namely the problem of transportation. The road access is not as good as in Java, so tourists must be patient.
To enliven tourism in Papua as well as facilitate public transportation, the government made the Trans Papua Road. This road will connect Papua with West Papua, and will not only be a major road but also roads to districts that have not been fully developed. The Papuan people welcome this road because it makes it easier to access other areas.
Endra S Atmawidjaja, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, stated that the Trans Papua Road will be 100% connected and is targeted for completion in 2024. Less than 183 kilometers, this road will be perfect, and become the longest trans road in Papua because the total 3,462 kilometers long.
Endra continued, the unfinished road is the Jayapura-Oksibil corridor, precisely on the Keerom-Batom Section. Meanwhile, the priority for the construction of the Trans Papua Road is the Jayapura-Wamena section as a logistics corridor for the mountainous region, and the Manokwari-Mameh-Windesi-Kampung Muri-Kwatisore-Papuan Boundary Corridor.
The Trans Papua Road must be completed immediately in order to facilitate the mobility of the Papuan people. Papua’s unique geographical condition, consisting of mountains, hills, and forests, makes it a bit difficult to move vehicles. If there is a representative highway, the public can pass it and shorten the travel time.
Andi Ashari, Head of the Nduga Regency Political and National Unity Agency, stated that the Nduga people are very happy with the Trans Papua Road. The reason is because it shortens the trip. Previously, from Mbua District, Nduga Regency, to Wamena, Jayawijaya, it took at least a day. However, after the Trans Papua Road, it only took 4 hours.
Time efficiency like this is expected by the government. With the Trans Papua Road, it is proven that the journey will be shorter and less troublesome for Papuans. They can save more time, energy, and travel costs, thanks to the Trans Papua Road. If there is time left thanks to faster travel, then they will be more productive.
If there is efficiency in travel time, it is also beneficial for Papuans, especially during an emergency. For example, when there are mothers who are about to give birth, they can get the help of a midwife quickly, because they travel through the Trans Papua Road. This will reduce maternal and infant mortality.
In addition, when there are residents who need medical assistance, they can be immediately rushed to the vehicle that is passed by the Trans Papua Road. He can immediately be treated to the nearest health center or hospital and healthy again.
The Trans Papua Road will also stimulate the economy in the Earth of Cendrawasih. The reason is because there will be easier road access to remote areas, even to the border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. If road access is easier, the people’s economy will also increase, because it makes it easier for them to shop for raw materials and deliver merchandise.
In the past, when there was no Trans Papua Road, residents who lived in remote places inevitably had to take an airplane. The cost is very high because the price of avtur is also more expensive than premium fuel. However, if traveling by land it will be cheaper. The community will benefit.
If the Trans Papua Road is 100% completed, it will increase tourist visits, especially foreign tourists, to the Earth of Cendrawasih. They will be happy to come to Papua because the road access is easier and cheaper because they can go by land. When there are many tourist visits, it is beneficial for the country’s foreign exchange and increases the income of the Papua and West Papua Regional Governments.
All Papuans fully support the continuation of the construction of the Trans Papua Road, because it has many benefits. Apart from the economic point of view, it is also beneficial in terms of equitable development. If road access to remote areas of Papua is easier, it will be easier to build new infrastructure and facilities for the people. That way, Papua will be more advanced.
The government continues to speed up the construction of the Trans Papua Road so that it can be completed quickly. The Trans Papua Road is also useful in terms of tourism and will increase the country’s foreign exchange. The existence of the Trans Papua road is also expected to strengthen the presence of the state in the community, in order to evenly distribute development throughout Indonesia.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Jakarta
