JakartaGlobe-Jan 16
Engineers from across the archipelago and different disciplines are planning to brainstorm ideas that can help with the development of Indonesia’s new state capital, according to the Indonesian Engineers Association or PII. Work is underway for Indonesia’s plan to relocate its capital from the sinking Jakarta to a lush forest in East Kalimantan. But construction is still at the early stage, and Indonesia has an ambitious goal of making Nusantara a smart forest city. As the government grows more fixated on this new metropolis, PII members will be putting their thinking caps on to support the mega project later this week. “The new capital project has become one of the government’s top priorities. Engineers do play a significant role in making Nusantara a smart forest city, and this begins with basic infrastructure development such as roads, bridges, dams, and sanitation,” PII chairman Danis Hidayat Sumadilaga said at a press briefing in Jakarta on Monday. On Jan. 20-22, hundreds of PII members will rendezvous in Balikpapan, a city in East Kalimantan that is in close proximity to Nusantara. The national conference will primarily zero in on Nusantara development. Each delegate will represent their respective disciplines, among others, architectural engineering and energy engineering. The participants are scheduled to visit the “ground zero” of Nusantara. News outlet Detik reported that 29 infrastructure development-related projects — including the presidential palace and toll road — in Nusantara already had their contracts signed. These inked contracts were worth a total of Rp 25 trillion (about $1.7 billion), and are slated for completion in 2024. According to Danis, thousands of engineers are taking part in the said contracts: be it as supervisors, planners, or more focused on the implementation aspect. Read more at: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesian-engineers-stand-up-to-challenge-of-building-nusantara-from-scratch
