"We hope this airport will be ready by late 2019. Inshaa Allah, it will be completed," President Jokowi noted while inspecting the construction work of the airport, here, Monday.
There is no big airport, so far, in southern, western, and central Java.
Hence, the government has planned to expand the Wiraba Air Force Base and turn it into the JB Soedirman Airport.
"Today, the development of the JB Soedirman Airport begins in Purbalingga District, measuring 115 hectares," he remarked.
The airport`s terminal will be expanded to three thousand square meters to accommodate up to 300 thousand passengers per year.
"We hope this airport would offer benefits not only to Purbalingga but also nine other districts and cities of Purbalingga, Banjarnegara, Kebumen, Banyumas, Pemalang, Tegal, Brebes, Tegal City, and Wonosobo. All can use this airport," he noted.
He expressed hope that the airport would also trigger the development of new economic areas in Purbalingga and the surrounding areas.
Furthermore, export-oriented investment already exists in those areas.
"There is a huge factory producing artificial eyelashes and having more than 60 thousand employees there," the head of state noted.
The presence of a big airport is expected to attract huge investments in Purbalingga.
Reported by Hanni Sofia
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