Capital Relocation to Start by 2024

A number of high-ranking officials pose for a photo after a press conference on capital relocation, at the State Palace, Monday (26/8). (Photo by: Agung/PR)

Following President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s announcement that East Kalimantan will host Indonesia’s new capital replacing Jakarta, the Government expressed hope construction of the new capital can start by the end of 2020 and the relocation process can start by 2024.

“The President’s announcement will be followed up. The Government will also compile an academic draft which will serve as a legal basis of a bill on the new capital,” Minister of National Development Planning (PPN)/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Bambang Brojonegoro said in a press conference on capital relocation, at the State Palace, Monday (26/8).

“Preparation from the start until final including masterplan, urban design, building design, and bill formulation will start in 2020. We will also prepare the land and infrastructure and start the construction by the end of 2020,” Bambang said.

The Minister added that if the construction process takes place by the end of 2020, the relocation process will start no later than 2024, adding that the relocation will be done in phases with the first phase being relocating administrative headquarters.

In the meantime, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning (ATR)/ Head of National Land Agency (BPN) Sofyan Jalil said that the Government will acquire a plot of land measuring 180 thousand hectares and since some parcels of land are not owned by the state, land acquisition process will be made based on provisions of laws and regulations.

“Once the location of future capital city is announced, we will apply land freezing (a legal restriction process for the sale or transfer of land) to prevent land speculation in location which will become areas for the future capital,” Sofyan said.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono stated that in developing infrastructure, the Ministry will design the location for spatial planning, as well as RTBL (Building and Environmental Planning) which is estimated to be completed in 2019-2020. Basuki also said that the Ministry has designed dams and determined the locations as one of basic facilities for the new capital.

“Based on the President’s instruction, design–building will be conducted in mid or end of 2020,” he said, adding that construction of roads, offices, bridges, dams, access to clean water, and sanitation is expected to be completed in 3-4 years.

Translated by : Rany Anjany Subachrum
Edited by : M. Ersan Pamungkas