Renovations have been completed at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium ©Getty Images

Work to renovate the main stadium for this year's Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang has been completed, officials in Indonesia have claimed.

The Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, which will host athletics, football and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the Games, needed IDR779.9 billion (£42 million/$58 million/€48 million) of improvement work, according to the Jakarta Globe.

This has now been completed with the Jakarta venue inaugurated today by the country's President Joko Widodo prior to Indonesia's men's football friendly against Iceland.

The European nation won the match 4-1.

"Renovation of the main stadium is 100 per cent complete," the Ministry of Public Works and Housing said in a statement to the Jakarta Globe.

"It is now ready for the Asian Games."

Work done to the stadium includes upgrades to the lighting and sound systems while benches have been replaced by individual seats.

The capacity has dropped by 10,000 to 80,000.

Works Minister Basuki Hadimuljono added: "I have heard that the lighting system at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium is one of the best in the world.

Renovation work included installing seats to replace benches ©Getty Images
Renovation work included installing seats to replace benches ©Getty Images

"The single-seat system was chosen to conform to FIFA safety standards, which require that it must be possible to evacuate the stadium within 15 minutes in case of an emergency."

The wider Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, which has facilities for tennis, swimming, basketball, badminton, archery, hockey, softball and baseball, is also being renovated with work said to be 99 per cent complete.

"Almost all sporting venues are completed and we will ask President Jokowi to inaugurate them one by one," Basuki added. 

The news comes with the Olympic Council of Asia concluding a two-day Coordination Committee inspection visit today.

The Committee has been assessing preparations for the Games, which are due to run between August 18 and September 2.

It is the eighth time the Committee, chaired by Japanese Olympic Committee President and International Olympic Committee member Tsunekazu Takeda, has travelled to Indonesia.

The Games are being shared by Jakarta, the capital city on the island of Java, and Palembang, which lies on Sumatra.

It takes about an hour to fly between the two cities.