The road has been temporarily closed to help the agency's workers repair damaged road sections and bridges without disruption from vehicular traffic, head of the BPJN-Jayapura Office, Edu M.P. Sasarari, said.
The road will remain closed for three months, but vehicles transporting goods, food supplies, and building materials will be allowed to pass during certain periods of time, he informed.
The repair of damaged road sections from KM 393 until the Kali Edan bridge has started, he said, adding that the physical damage is closely related to soil conditions so it requires special treatment.
Spanning 575 kilometers, the Jayapura-Wamena road section is part of the Transpapua Highway. It is under the jurisdiction of the BPJN-Jayapura Office and the BPJN-Wamena Office.
According to Sasarari, about 300 vehicles traverse the road section. At present, drivers take two or three days on average to travel from Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, to Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya district.
Once the damaged roads and bridges are repaired, the traveling time could shorten, he said.
On Wednesday, Sasarari met with Commander of the 172/Praja Wira Yakthi Regional Military Command, Brig.Gen.Izak Pangemanan.
He said he requested the assistance of the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) for securing 320 kilometers of the Jayapura-Wamena highway.
There are six TNI-AD security posts along this road section. Army personnel have been requested to help manage traffic flow on road lanes while repairs are in progress.
Meanwhile, speaking to journalists after meeting with Sasarari, Brig.Gen. Pangemanan said his men will also secure the Transpapua section of the Jayapura-Wamena highway to halt the flow of illegal goods, including drugs and liquor.
"The army personnel are ready to secure the Jayapura-Wamena highway. TNI has 16 security posts along this Transpapua road section," he informed.
The surveillance operation would also involve personnel from the Indonesia-PNG Border Security Task Force, he said.
"In carrying out the operation, the soldiers will thoroughly check the cargo of vehicles passing through the Jayapura-Wamena highway to make sure that drivers do not carry illegal goods," he added. (INE)
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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