T

he Jakarta administration will fully control land plots intended for building cheap apartments and traditional markets.

Deputy Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama said at City Hall on Friday that the drafts of the city's detailed spatial plan and zoning regulation (RDTR) for 2012 to 2030 would regulate land plots designated for building cheap apartments and traditional markets to be only managed by the city administration.

'Previously, we marked this area as a yellow zone, which meant that private entities could purchase the land. We're changing it to a red zone, so that the administration can solely use and manage the plots,' he said.

Spatial Planning Agency head Gamal Sinurat said the change of the zone was aimed at assisting the city administration to conduct development programs, including building apartments and traditional markets.

'We are now inventorying these areas,' he said, adding one of examples was the site of former building of the West Jakarta Mayor's office.

The administration is now intensifying its plan to build many low-cost rental apartments for thousands of squatters who would likely be evicted from river banks and reservoirs.

Ahok said the land was urgently needed, so the administration could immediately revitalize rivers and lakes in a flood mitigation program.

The city had prepared, so far, land plots in several areas like Pasar Rumput in South Jakarta, Daan Mogot in West Jakarta, Marunda, Muara Baru and Muara Angke in North Jakarta, the East Flood Canal and Pulo Gebang in East Jakarta, he said.

Besides providing more land for the administration, the draft will also restrict the permit for elevating buildings in some areas.

Ahok said buildings located in zones near mass transportation lanes would have limited height.

'The owners used to freely heighten their buildings, as long as they paid the fines. However, they would not be allowed to do that anymore with the new RDTR.'

Gamal said the draft would also enable his agency to review areas where the function had been changed.

An area in Tambora, West Jakarta, had changed from being a residential area into a garment industry area. 'We will evaluate the extent of the change. If the change is extreme, we will control further development,' he said, adding that the residents, however, should still comply with the current zone regulations.

Gamal said the agency intended the draft to be finished next month for the City Council. 'We hope the draft, initiated in 2008, will be passed this year.'