[BALIKPAPAN, EAST KALIMANTAN] The first phase of the lengthy process to develop Nusantara, Indonesia’s brand new capital in East Kalimantan, is more than 70 per cent complete, said Bambang Susantono, the chairman of Indonesia’s Nusantara Capital Authority.

“The project has seen significant and quite progressive development, with several groundbreakings in the last few months and we will see more this year,” said the 60-year-old, a former acting minister of transportation, in an interview with The Business Times.

Work is frantically taking place around the clock as the first phase – comprising the presidential palace, the offices of several government ministries, and basic infrastructure such as roads and housing – is on track to mark its inauguration on Aug 17, which happens to be Indonesia’s Independence Day.