Indonesia to collaborate with S. Korea to construct new capital’s immersed tunnel

JAKARTA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) — Indonesia will collaborate with South Korea to construct an immersed tunnel in its new capital city of Nusantara, according to the Public Works and Housing Ministry.
“We estimate the cost to complete the immersed tunnel to be around 682 million U.S. dollars,” said Wida Nurfaida, the ministry’s director of road construction.
Scheduled to begin construction in 2025, the tunnel will be part of the highway system in Nusantara, enabling users to cross Balikpapan Bay to reach the government buildings area.
Indonesian government’s option for an underwater tunnel instead of a bridge is intended to preserve the forest and protect local flora and fauna habitats. ■