Govt plans more apartments for E. Java riverbank families

Agnes S Jayakarna ,  THE JAKARTA POST ,  SURABAYA   |  Fri, 07/03/2009 2:58 PM  |  East Java

The East Java provincial administration is to build more subsidized apartments for low-income families, especially those living along the Kalimas riverbanks, an official said Thursday.

Head of the provincial Public Works Agency Budi Susilo said a subsidized apartment with a capacity of 398 units on Jl. Mastrip, Karangpilang district, Surabaya, would be built this year for impoverished families. "Other subsidized apartments will also be built in Gunungsari and Lakarsantri by 2010," Budi told reporters.

He said the Karangpilang apartment was to be built on a 2,000-square-meter plot belonging to the state. The plot is located along the Kalimas river and was specially built for the people living along the riverbanks.

He added the apartments were expected to solve the urban housing problem in East Java, especially in the provincial capital of Surabaya.

He expressed hope the families living along the riverbanks would also be willing to move to the apartment.

The five-story apartment will be built some 11 meters from the riverbank to meet with the requirements stipulated by the Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Minister decree No 380/2004 on the revision of the Kalimas riverbanks' borderline.

The apartment will come with public facilities on its first floor including a mushala (Muslim worship room), a parking area and a garden

The second floor and up will function as residential areas.

Budi said the provincial administration has allocated Rp 30 billion (US$3 million) for the project in its 2009 revised budget and has also submitted it to the provincial legislature for deliberation.

Budi also said the East Java administration was still in the process of procuring a 7,000-square-meter site for building a 400-unit subsidized apartment in Gunungsari.

"The *central* government will help the administration to construct the apartment once the land is clean and ready."

He added in the meantime the provincial administration had also procured a 20,000-square-meter site in Lakarsantri to build seven to eight apartments there.

Other apartment projects to follow include a 192-unit one in Wonorejo and a 228-unit each in both Randu and Kali Kedinding.

Separately, volunteer Hermawan Some, who supervised people residing along the Kalimas riverbanks said Thursday that the residents had rejected the relocation.

"They prefer to have their houses renovated because of fear that relocation would only make them lose their livelihoods."

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.