Ministry Of PUPR: It Needs A Cost Of IDR 11 Trillion To Build An Underwater Toll Road At IKN

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi). (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The capital city of Nusantara (IKN) will have the first underwater tunneling (immersed tunnel) in Indonesia. It is estimated that the costs required for the construction of this project will reach Rp11.04 trillion.

This was revealed by the Director of Road Development of the Directorate General of Highways of the Ministry of PUPR Wida Nurfaida. In its grand plan, this project will be carried out in collaboration with the South Korean Government (South Korea).

"We convey that the estimated cost for the settlement of the prospective tunnel is approximately Rp. 11 trillion or US$682 million," Wida said in his presentation at the Indonesia-Korea Technical Exchange Seminar 2024 at the PUPR Ministry office, Jakarta, Wednesday, August 7.

Wida said that the construction of the Immersed tunnel was included in the draft construction of the IKN Toll Road for the 4A and 4B segments in the eastern area.

"All (toll roads) are already in the process of being worked on, except for the 4A and 4B segments. In which there is an herded tunnel development plan which is planned to be collaborated with the Korean government," he said.

He said that his party had just carried out road construction work for zone 1 out of a total of 9 zones in IKN. For zone 1 itself which includes the Central Government Core Area (KIPP), it is targeted that a total of 226 kilometers (km) of roads can be built. This road consists of primary arteries, arterial, collectors and local roads.

Of this number, his party has built 83.09 km long road at KIPP IKN. Thus, we still have to complete the construction of 143.78 km long road again.

To complete it, it costs around Rp. 39.68 trillion assuming the average cost for road construction in IKN reaches Rp. 158.25 billion per km.

"We still need a budget of approximately IDR 39 trillion to meet the remaining handling needs of 143.78 km," he said.

As for the development of toll road access at IKN itself by Bina Marga, continued Wida, only 67.65 km of the total 88.54 km of toll access has been built. In this case, there are still 20.89 km that have not been built.

"The average purchase for the toll road itself is around Rp305 billion (per km) and for the settlement that has not been built is Rp6.38 trillion or around $339 million," he said.

Previously, the Head of the IKN Development Task Force (Kasatgas) of the Ministry of PUPR Danis H Sumadilaga said the herded tunnel project might be worked on next year.

"Maybe 2025. We will prepare the design first because of this, right, the first time we do it. So, we prepare it as well as possible," said Danis when met after the Denons HPRP Law and Regulation Outlook 2024 agenda: Towards the New Capital City of the Archipelago in Jakarta, Monday, February 26.

Danis said the project could be carried out by the government or through an investment scheme. However, he is trying to increase the tunnel, which can later be worked on by private investment.

"For IKN, such as alternative toll roads, whether carried out by the government or through investment. I think the choice is, we will see later. We, right, all also hope that as much as possible not from the government, but from investment," he said.

The progress of the IKN underwater tunnel itself is still in the stage of deepening the details of engineering design (DED) by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR). In the deepening process, the Government involved international consultants because this project was completely new to Indonesia.

As is known, the Immersed tunnel IKN project is part of Section 4 of the IKN Central Government Core Area Toll Road (KIPP). The existence of an Immersed tunnel is also in accordance with the forest city concept as the concept carried by IKN.