Commencing in 2024, IKN immersed tunnel project needs 2-3 years
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily - Dimulai 2024, Proyek terowongan bawah laut IKN butuh 2-3 tahun
24 August 2023
By: Amrozi Amenan
Jakarta - The construction of the immersed tunnel in Nusantara Capital City (IKN) will commence in 2024. The Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Ministry through the IKN Infrastructure Development Implementation Task Force predicts that the infrastructure project completion needs around 2-3 years.
“We have just completed the feasibility study. Based on the feasibility study result, we will make the design. Inshallah (God willing), next year, we can commence [construction],” Infrastructure Development Implementation Task Force Danis Sumadilaga said in IKN, North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan on Wednesday (23/8/2023).
Danis said that, after designing the immersed tunnel, the PUPR Ministry will hold the tender. Hence, the PUPR Ministry predicts that the tender and the construction of the immersed tunnel can start next year.
“The immersed tunnel will be designed to be box-shaped, spanning around 1 km to 1.5 km,” Danis said.
The immersed tunnel will be designed by the PUPR Ministry to have six toll road lanes.
“So, first, we will construct the immersed tunnel on land. Then, it will be submerged underwater,” Danis said.
The immersed tunnel is a part of IKN access toll road that connects Balikpapan City to IKN, where toll road users will cross to enter IKN.
IKN access toll road spans 47 km, and it allows travel time from Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan to IKN to take around 30 minutes.
“If we can start the immersed tunnel construction in 2024, then it can be completed in around 2-3 years,” Danis said.
Meanwhile, Danis continued that financing for the immersed tunnel construction would use the state budget (APBN), but there is a possibility that the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme will be used.
The PUPR Ministry adopts the immersed tunnel technology that will cross Balikpapan Bay in IKN.
The immersed tunnel construction is in line with the forest city concept that is implemented in IKN. The PUPR Ministry is currently conducting a feasibility study to determine the best alternate route for the immersed tunnel.
The government wants to protect the proboscis monkeys, as well as other endemic fauna and flora around Balikpapan Bay. Hence, the PUPR Ministry will not construct a bridge that will physically alter the ecological morphology, but they will construct an immersed tunnel, similar to the one in Geoje, Busan, South Korea.
The immersed tunnel technology has been implemented in many countries, such as the Fehmarn tunnel in Europe and the tunnel in Geoje in Busan in South Korea.
The immersed tunnel technology is a method that is generally used to replace bridges to cross wide bodies of water.
On another development, the PUPR Ministry through the IKN Infrastructure Development Task Force will bring and install Garuda feathers at the Presidential Office in IKN in September 2023.
“The Garuda feathers will be installed at the Presidential Office in September. We are bringing the feathers from Bandung,” Danis said.
Danis said that there would be 4,000 Garuda feathers. In the first stage, 1,000 Garuda feathers will be brought to IKN.
Danis said that, in September, the PUPR Ministry would also plant 48 thousand trees in IKN.
“Completed areas in IKN will be planted by trees immediately,” he stated.
Logistics pier
On the other hand, the PUPR Ministry through the IKN Infrastructure Development Implementation Task Force also revealed that the physical realisation of the logistics pier in IKN has reached 92%.
“The physical realisation of the logistics pier in IKN has reached 92%, and it is set to operate in September 2023,” Danis Sumadilaga said.
The logistics pier is constructed by the PUPR Ministry through the Highways Directorate General to support the construction of IKN access toll road sections 5B, 6A, and 6B as well as the VVIP airport.
Danis added that the logistics pier could accelerate the construction of projects in IKN, including the ones in the Central Government Core Area (KIPP).
The logistics pier that is 10,000 square metres (m2) in size is fitted with a stockyard to store construction equipment and materials.
“The key to project construction, especially to mega projects in IKN, is the logistics supply chain,” Danis said.
Regarding the construction of basic infrastructure in IKN, the PUPR Ministry will not only construct the logistics pier, but also logistics roads to accelerate and facilitate construction.
The PUPR Ministry is continuously improving connectivity to IKN by accelerating the construction of the toll road to the KIPP in IKN.
The toll road that will be connected to Balikpapan-Samarinda (Balsam) toll road will shorten travel time from Balikpapan to IKN from 2 hours to only around 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, the PUPR Ministry will receive a budget of Rp35.37 trillion for IKN development in 2024, so the total budget for the new capital city from 2022 to 2024 will reach Rp65.57 trillion. PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono is targeting the construction of several projects in IKN to be completed in July 2024.
“The projects include the presidential office, four coordinating ministry offices, several ministerial offices, and a field for ceremonies. Hopefully, they will be completed in July,” Minister Basuki said at the press conference on the RAPBN and the financial notes for 2024 at the office of the Directorate General of Taxes of the Finance Ministry in Jakarta last week.
