Nusantara, East Kalimantan. The Nusantara Capital Authority officially launched construction on a 12-kilometer, 40-meter-wide main road in the heart of Indonesia’s future capital on Wednesday, aiming to complete the project within six months.

Basuki Hadimuljono, head of the Nusantara Capital Authority, said the project has a total budget of Rp 3 trillion (approximately $184.5 million) and is expected to be finished by the end of this year.

The road construction contract has been awarded to a consortium of many companies, mostly state-owned construction companies such as Waskita Karya, Hutama Karya, and Wijaya Karya (Wika).

“This is not a multi-year contract; it must be completed within a single fiscal year -- just 232 days,” Basuki said during the contract signing ceremony at his office. “I urge the contractors to give this project their full attention.”

Basuki added that the road will be significantly wider than existing national highways. “This will be a 40-meter-wide main artery -- much wider than typical national roads,” he added.

The six-month timeline aligns with the government’s 2025 budget disbursement schedule, as the funding for the project is sourced from the current fiscal year.

The road is considered critical infrastructure to support private sector investors who are preparing to begin construction of banks, schools, and hospitals within the core development area of Nusantara, Indonesia’s new capital.