A city is emerging in a jungle, as seen in satellite images released by the US space agency NASA. The new capital of Indonesia, Nusantra, is being developed in the jungle, which is located in Borneo. The forest area has changed since 2022 as a result of the city’s development, as seen in the satellite photos. In almost two years, the forest area has changed dramatically, according to NASA, which also noted that buildings for the new capital city have been constructed near Balikpapan Bay in Eastern Kalimantan and that roads have been carved into the landscape.
The new city is being developed on the island of Borneo because of the problems faced by Indonesia’s current capital, Jakarta.
According to NASA Earth Observatory, Jakarta is home to over 30 million people and experiences regular flooding, air pollution, a lack of clean drinking water, and traffic.
There were one million people living in Jakarta when Indonesia gained its independence.
It went on to say that 40 percent of the city is currently below sea level due to excessive groundwater withdrawals, which have caused subsidence rates of up to 15 centimeters per year.
The master plan for Indonesia’s new city was developed in 2019, according to the New York Times. In order to allow residents to avoid Nusantara’s hilly terrain, the approved blueprint included stilted buildings and elevated walkways connecting to transportation hubs.
Thirty kilometers inland from the Makassar Strait, in an area covered with forests and oil palm plantations, construction got underway in 2022. The word “outer islands” or “archipelago” is Nusantra, which originates from old Javanese.
Initially, the city is expected to cater to 500,000 people and the infrastructure is being developed according to that. Project plans stipulate that it will be a “green, walkable” metropolis, powered with renewable energy, with 75 per cent of the city remaining forested.
The construction is expected to be completed by 2045.
Read More
National Science Day Feb 28: “State to Promote Scientific Temperament” Boseraju
