Construction work on Indonesia’s new futuristic capital on Borneo is progressing. For the first time, Independence Day celebrations will be held in Nusantara – amidst unfinished buildings.
Indonesia’s unfinished new capital Nusantara is moving into the spotlight: Since this morning (local time), the main celebrations for the island state’s independence day are being held for the first time in Borneo, where the city planned as a futuristic smart city is currently being built on the edge of the jungle.
Current President Joko Widodo – known as Jokowi – held his first cabinet meeting in Nusantara just a few days ago. The city currently being built on the island of Borneo is “a canvas that will shape the future,” he stressed. “Not all countries have the opportunity and the ability to build their capital from scratch.”
Jokowi explained his vision again: “Nusantara will be developed according to the concept of a forest city, a city full of greenery, not a city made of concrete or glass.” But it is also an intelligent city full of technology, in which it is pleasant to live, stressed Jokowi. According to the plans, flying taxis will also take to the skies.
However, the picture is still dominated by cranes and dusty shells. While some government buildings are nearing completion, much of the essential infrastructure such as residential buildings, schools and hospitals is still under construction. It could take until 2045 for the entire project to be completed.
Jokowi announced the move in 2019. The main reason is that Jakarta on the island of Java is slowly sinking and large parts of the city are already below sea level. By 2050, the entire area of North Jakarta could be flooded. Added to this is traffic chaos and smog in the mega-metropolis with eleven million inhabitants (and almost 34 million in the metropolitan area). Nusantara is about two hours’ flight northeast of Jakarta in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo.
In addition to Jokowi, his elected successor Prabowo Subianto, who will take office in October, also took part in the Independence Day celebrations. “We can see how magnificent the capital city of Nusantara is,” enthused a speaker on television, where the ceremony was broadcast live. In particular, the new presidential palace in the shape of a giant eagle – the Garuda Palace – is not only “huge, but also beautiful.”
Work on Borneo began in 2022. However, critics complain that many people had to be forcibly relocated – and the compensation offered was not enough for them to build a new life.
Indonesia, with its thousands of islands stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and its approximately 280 million inhabitants, is the largest island nation in the world.
