Jayapura, (Antara) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inspected progress in the construction of the longest bridge in Papua expected to be operational by the end of this year.
The 732 meter long Holtekamp bridge to cost an estimated Rp943.6 billion, is now under construction by a consortium of state construction companies - PT PP, PT Hutama Karya and PT Nindya Karya.
The bridge project built over the Youtefa bay will link Jayapura and the district of Muara Tami in Papua and the Skouw district of the neighboring country Papua New Guinea.
"We hope this long bridge will give rise to new economic centers in Jayapura and nearby areas," the president said Wednesday.
The project, the construction of which began in 2015, is already 80 percent completed. It will cut the time needed to reach the Skouw border from Jayapura from 2.5 hours to 60 minutes.
Jokowi and entourage including the First Lady arrived in Papua on Wednesday with agenda including visit to the district of Asmat which was recently hit by measles and malnutrition.
The president also is scheduled to inspect traditional markets and distribute land certificates among local farmers during his 8th visit to the country's most backward region.(*)
