President Jokowi’s working visit to the capital city of the archipelago has been quite busy since this morning. The President started by inaugurating the construction of the Nusantara Capital Airport (IKN).
With a budget of IDR 4.3 trillion, Jokowi targets that IKN Airport can be used by mid-2024 and can be fully operational by the end of 2024.
“It is targeted to be fully operational in December 2024, but it can be used later in June 2024,” said Jokowi in his remarks, Wednesday (1/11).
According to him, the presence of IKN Airport is very important, considering the increasing density of activities and mobility at IKN. Apart from that, he said the presence of this airport would also make connectivity between regions easier and more open.
“I am sure that IKN Airport will increase IKN’s competitiveness, competitiveness“, encouraging economic growth, and encouraging the development of potential in the regions, and accelerating the IKN development that we are currently processing,” he explained.
The President explained that IKN Airport is a special airport used to support government activity services and support connectivity in the capital city of the archipelago. IKN Airport has an area of 347 hectares with a runway of 3,000 x 45 meters, and can serve wide-body aircraft.
“It is also equipped with a terminal area of 7,350 square meters so that passengers can be served comfortably and well,” he added.
Toll Road Ready to Be Built
Apart from IKN Airport, Jokowi also reviewed the toll road construction process that will connect IKN with Balikpapan. This toll road is projected to cut travel time from Balikpapan to IKN to be shorter, from initially two hours and 15 minutes to only around 50 minutes.
“Now this toll road is being built directly from Balikpapan to the archipelago. It only takes approximately 50 minutes, the distance is 57 kilometers so this will speed up the mobility of people and goods to the archipelago,” he explained.
As for the progress of this toll road construction, he said it had reached almost 55 percent. He targets that this toll road will be operational by the middle of next year. “It is hoped that it can be used in June 2024,” he said.
The Hospital was Built Following the Forest City Concept
Apart from these two infrastructure projects, Jokowi also laid the foundation stone for Mayapada Hospital Nusantara. The second hospital to be built at IKN will later be a hospital with a green concept to support the development of IKN as the first national capital in the world to carry the concept of a forest city. (forest city). This hospital is targeted to be fully operational in the second semester of next year.
“I am sure this will be a good hospital because it works with Apollo Hospital in India,” he said.
On this occasion Jokowi also had the opportunity to do so groundbreaking an international standard school from the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) with the name Nusantara Intercultural School (NIS).
“JIS’s presence at IKN shows the seriousness of our commitment to providing various supporting facilities for the capital city, including presenting international standard and world quality educational institutions,” he said.
Total Investment IDR 45 Trillion
Jokowi explained that as of December the total investment in IKN had reached IDR 45 trillion. According to him, the majority of the total investment still comes from domestic investors.
“As I said earlier, there was already IDR 45 trillion as of December, which is real, yes. “We are actually putting the brakes on so that the domestic sector will do the driving first,” he explained.
According to him, as time goes by, foreign investors will be given the opportunity to invest in a larger scope, such as in the financial sector, health sector and also the education sector which is planned to collaborate with the Tony Blair Institute.
“I think the speed is very fast. If we look at the facilities that the people of the archipelago want in the future, such as there are already three hospitals, the first stone has already been laid for the school. Then there are four hotels, there are two malls. “This means that this is rolling out very quickly, and I hope that the Chairman of the IKN Authority can serve it quickly, because the private sector will definitely ask for it quickly,” he explained.
Observing development developments in IKN Nusantara, City Planning Observer Nirwono Yoga said that the laying of the first stones for various projects carried out today by President Jokowi proves that the private sector has started to enter the IKN development mega project.
However, he underlined and questioned whether all the procedures that had to be followed had been carried out correctly? He gave an example when building a good building, there must be a good detailed spatial planning plan (RTDR).
“In my opinion, you have to look closely at the entire building groundbreaking Have you gone through the procedure now or not? “That’s important, because no matter how good it is, if the basic things are not done well then this could actually repeat the mistakes in the development of our cities,” said Nirwono.
Furthermore, he also believes that the government cannot prioritize what facilities and infrastructure should be built first. He asked who would be the users of these two facilities and how much capacity would be built. The reason is that the transfer of ASN will be carried out in stages and most of them will be young ASN who do not have families.
“Is it true groundbreaking schools, hospitals are in urgent need for 2024? Because building has stages. Which one is necessary and which one is not. This is not unimportant because city growth must be gradual. That’s what I’m worried about, if we build a big hospital, a big school while user interest will be gradual. So it can’t suddenly get big. there are stages. “We have to pay attention to this so we don’t get trapped into a ghost town,” he explained.
Again, he suggested to the government that in the initial stage what should be built is a storefront city or boutique city with very good quality. According to him, this is more realistic in order to attract investor interest in the future.
“We should build a storefront city or boutique city. Where the term is that all good goods are displayed, and not in bulk. “That’s actually the easier one, because with those conditions it’s more realistic, where we design a small city, but everything is good, the capacity is good, the quality is world standard and that makes more sense,” he explained.
“In essence, everything seems to be done in a hurry, not followed by a mature plan, let alone an integrated plan between the relevant parties,” he concluded. (gi/em)
