Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said at a hearing with House of Representatives Commission V overseeing infrastructure and transportation that the proposed amount would be part of the Rp 60.6 trillion budget the ministry hoped to secure for next year.

"Some of the funding would be used for [Nusantara] and for Papua, given that we’ve just had regional expansion in the area," Dody said, as quoted by kompas.com.

 

Dody was quoted by Kompas as saying that the requested additional budget allocation for Nusantara would be earmarked for roads in the primary government district and for the construction of a new toll road connecting the area to East Kalimantan’s capital, Balikpapan.

The ministry plans to use Rp 9.9 trillion for the construction of new roads and bridges connecting Nusantara with its surrounding areas.

President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to continue building Nusantara, quashing concerns that he would abandon his predecessor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's multi-billion-dollar legacy project scheduled to be finished by 2045. 

Prabowo did not, however, mention Nusantara in his inaugural speech as President on Oct. 20, focusing only on some of his signature policies, including the free meals program and food sustainability projects.

Separately, Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority head Basuki Hadimuljono said some key projects in Nusantara had been completed in early December, including official residences for coordinating ministers and apartment complexes for government workers.

Basuki also said private vendors had completed the construction of supporting facilities, such as restaurants and cafés.