IKN Free of Cluttered Cables and Digging Pits Like a Developed Nation, Here's the Secret

The Nusantara Capital (IKN) boasts a unique feature not found in other regions of Indonesia. In IKN, cables do not dangle haphazardly, and there are no digging pits. What is the secret? This is because IKN utilises an underground tunnel and road infrastructure network known as the multi-utility tunnel (MUT). The aforementioned cables up to the fibre optic (FO) network are routed through underground pathways, ensuring that these utilities are not scattered and do not disrupt the view. The primary function of the MUT is to accommodate all utility networks, from electricity cables and fibre optics to water pipes and gas lines, within a single integrated underground channel. With this concept, network maintenance becomes easier without needing to excavate the surface soil, which could potentially disrupt traffic. In addition to creating efficiency, the MUT supports the concept of IKN as a smart, modern, neat, and environmentally friendly city. The sight of dangling cables or damage from road excavations can be eliminated, allowing the city’s face to appear cleaner and more sophisticated. The MUT, which serves as a utility corridor, is located underground to carry utilities such as drinking water, electricity lines, fire hydrant pipes, gas networks, and telecommunications fibre optics (FO), divided into several compartments. The use of MUT also marks a significant breakthrough in urban infrastructure by providing an efficient solution for technicians in performing repairs, maintenance, or replacement of utility networks and equipment. With these tunnels, technicians can access the resources and networks housed within without needing to conduct digging work on city streets. In this context, necessary repair work becomes more efficient, reducing disruptions and negative impacts typically caused by surface construction activities, such as traffic congestion, noise, and disturbances to daily community activities. Through the implementation of MUT, utility infrastructure maintenance becomes more effective without disrupting urban life. The MUT project is currently still under construction, particularly in the Core Government Centre Area (KIPP) by PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk. The scope of WIKA’s work includes the construction of roads spanning approximately 10.964 kilometres, the construction of the Multi Utility Tunnel (MUT), road surfacing for six lanes, and bridge construction. This infrastructure is designed to support efficient mobility, smooth government logistics distribution, and sustainable underground utility integration. In addition to strengthening connectivity in the core government area, this project also provides long-term benefits in the form of improved accessibility between strategic zones in IKN, acceleration of personnel and defence-security logistics movement, and support for economic activities around the development area. “The presence of this integrated road and utility system is expected to create a more orderly, modern, and sustainable spatial layout, while serving as the foundation for integrated area development,” stated WIKA’s President Director, Agung Budi Waskito, in a written statement quoted on Sunday (22/3/2026).