The transportation of quartz sand materials will be easier and cheaper if done by train."Manokwari (ANTARA News) - The master plan of a railway project in east Indonesias West Papua province is expected to be completed by the end of December 2015, according to local Transportation and Communication Department spokesman Bambang Heriawan Soesanto.
"The railway system should be available soon as this program is important for large-scale economic development in West Papua," Soesanto remarked here on Monday.
He stated that the consulting and technical teams from the West Papua Department of Transportation and Communication had been on the field to survey, assess, and seek inputs on the districts and cities that will be covered by the railway network.
According to the spokesman, the teams will return to Manokwari on Monday to finalize the preparations of the master plan.
Soesanto stated that the construction of a railway network in West Papua is a great program with a long-term vision.
He believes that the existence of a railway network in West Papua will be able to improve effectiveness and efficiency in the distribution of mining, agricultural, and plantation commodities to support the regional economy.
"With the existence of a railway network, oil, gas, minerals, coal, and agricultural and other natural resources can be distributed more quickly and at relatively low costs," he pointed out.
He expressed hope that the people and all public elements in the area would support the railway network, which has been launched by the central government.
In the near future, PT SDIC Papua Cement Indonesia will operate in the region of Maruni to mine quartz sand at the Botak Mountain Region in Momiwaren, South Manokwari District.
"The transportation of quartz sand materials will be easier and cheaper if done by train," he said.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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