DENPASAR, Bali — Bali Governor Wayan Koster has dismissed claims that I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has exceeded its capacity, saying the island’s only international airport can still accommodate growing passenger numbers if its operations are managed more efficiently.

Speaking at the Bali Regional Development Coordination Meeting on Monday, Koster said the airport’s current challenges are not caused by capacity constraints but by operational inefficiencies.

“Ngurah Rai Airport is actually not over capacity. The problem is that its management has not been optimized, making operations less efficient. This is what needs to be improved,” Koster said.

According to Koster, airport operator Angkasa Pura has prepared several plans to improve access to the airport and ease traffic congestion around the facility.

The proposals include improving road connectivity from popular tourist areas in Badung Regency, including Canggu, Seminyak, and Legian.

He also highlighted a planned water taxi service linking the airport with Canggu, a project being developed by Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation to offer travelers an alternative to road transport.

Beyond airport access, Koster urged the central government to accelerate the long-delayed Gilimanuk–Mengwi Toll Road project, saying it is crucial for improving the movement of goods across Bali.

He said discussions with Indonesia’s House of Representatives Commission V indicated that the project is expected to enter the tender process in December. Koster added that he had also raised the issue with Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono.

The toll road, he said, would be particularly important for freight transport and could help prevent the severe traffic jams that occur during major holiday periods.

“This must be prioritized, especially for logistics vehicles. During this year’s holiday season, traffic queues reached around 20 kilometers when the Eid exodus coincided with Nyepi. This has become one of Bali’s top infrastructure priorities,” Koster said.

Koster also outlined several other infrastructure priorities for the island, including improving road access to northern, eastern, and western Bali, developing Celukan Bawang Port, and advancing Bali’s waste-to-energy (PSEL) projects.

In addition to infrastructure, the coordination meeting discussed several key issues facing the province, including waste management, traffic congestion, clean water availability, and efforts to strengthen Bali’s energy independence.