The rough shells of buildings such as the Presidential Palace, the President's Office Building, the offices of coordinating ministries, and ministerial houses are already becoming discernible.
In front of the Presidential Palace lies a field that is planned to serve as the venue for the 79th Independence Day anniversary ceremony hosted by the Indonesian government on August 17, 2024.
The readiness of the government, especially the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN), in preparing the location is reflected in the expedited construction work in the KIPP.
The construction of the main venues for the Independence anniversary ceremony — the Presidential Palace and the field, which can accommodate up to 8 thousand people — has reached 54.7 percent completion.
Overall, the construction of the new capital, which approximately requires funds of Rp466 trillion (around US$29.89 billion), is still far from complete, with work on several buildings yet to begin.
Still, the government is targeting that the KIPP would be ready for use by the time the Independence Day anniversary arrives.
The OIKN is working with the national committee to prepare for the Independence Day anniversary ceremony. The committee is chaired by head of the Presidential Secretariat, Heru Budi Hartono.
In an interview with ANTARA, OIKN secretary Achmad Jaka Santos Adiwijaya said that the participation of the general public in the 79th Independence Day anniversary ceremony will be welcome.
He expressed optimism that the community would be enthusiastic about visiting the new capital.
Keeping that in mind, the OIKN has prepared several locations around the Presidential Palace field from where people can observe the ceremony.
Big screens will also be installed to allow people to watch the ceremony from afar.
The organizers also plan to add more side events to enliven Independence celebrations, though they have yet to provide information on the events.
According to data from the OIKN, as of January 2024, four phases of groundbreaking have taken place in Nusantara.
The first phase of groundbreaking was carried out from September 21 to 23, 2023, for the construction of several infrastructures, such as a hotel, a hospital, an international football training center, and a multifunction building. The investment value of the projects totaled Rp22.90 trillion (around US$1.46 billion).
On November 1 and 2, 2023, the government carried out the second phase of groundbreaking for several projects in Nusantara, including a hospital, a school, and a solar power plant with an investment value of Rp15.57 trillion (around US$999.24 million).
The third phase of groundbreaking was carried out on December 20 and 21, 2023, for projects including the construction of a military command office, a police station, and a hospital. The total investment value was Rp4.78 trillion (around US$306.76 million).
The fourth phase was carried out on January 17, 2024, and covered several construction projects, including the office of the OIKN, the headquarters of the Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS), and a state mosque. The investment value of the projects was pegged at Rp4.26 trillion (around US$273.39 million).
As per the OIKN's records, so far, the total investment for construction projects at Nusantara has reached Rp47.5 trillion (around US$3.04 billion), with private investment accounting for Rp35.9 trillion (around US$2.3 billion) of the total sum.
The authority has received 350 letters of intent and is currently studying them in detail to ensure that the projects in the new capital could involve mutually beneficial cooperation, especially for bringing about sustainable development.
In keeping with the vision of creating Nusantara as a sustainable city, the OIKN has readied several transit points from where people can take electric vehicles (EVs) to enter the new capital area during the 79th Independence Day anniversary celebrations.
Later, visitors using fossil-fuel vehicles will be able to switch to EVs or electric buses at the transit points.
The new capital's design is based on smart and forest city concepts so that it can respond to future challenges and meet the needs of the community.
For the 79th Independence Day anniversary celebrations, the government is also planning to involve micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) players.
The participation of the community is expected to make the ceremony, which will be a milestone in the development of the new capital, more special.
Rian, a resident who lives near the KIPP, expressed his enthusiasm about the government's plan to hold the ceremony in the new capital in East Kalimantan.
He said that he, without a doubt, will participate in the ceremony, which, according to him, would be historic.
"Of course, I am enthusiastic (to participate). Because, in addition to the fact that the location is near, I am also curious about how the ceremony will be held in the new capital city," he said.
With the month of August drawing near, the government needs to make efforts to expedite the completion of several priority infrastructures in Nusantara.
In addition to being a moment of reflection on the long journey to Indonesia's independence, the 79th Independence Day anniversary ceremony in Nusantara will mark a new history that will bring all eyes to the new capital.
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Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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