T

he city administration aims to relocate hundreds of squatters living on the east side of the Ria-Rio reservoir in Pulogadung, East Jakarta, in the near future, as Governor Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo plans to regreen the area.

Deputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama said on Wednesday that the city administration '€” working with the relevant authorities and companies '€” would start relocating at least 350 families living illegally in the area by the end of August as the construction of city parks in the area will begin
next month.

'€œPak Governor has instructed me to clear the area [of squatters]. The Jakarta Housing Agency, the Military District Command, the East Jakarta Police, the East Jakarta Mayor Office, [developers] PT Pulomas Jaya and PT Jakarta Propertindo will team up to carry out the development planning at the end of this month,'€ Ahok told reporters at City Hall.

The city administration had planned to relocate them to Pinus Elok low-cost apartments in Penggilingan, East Jakarta. However, the apartments are not yet ready.

'€œIt might take two months to renovate the apartments. We will find them temporary places,'€ he said.

Separately, Jokowi said that the city administration would prepare another three low-cost apartment complexes; in Cipinang Besar Selatan, Komaruddin and Marunda, to accommodate the squatters.

Ahok pointed out that PT Pulomas Jaya, a private property developer that owns part of the area, had offered Rp 1 million (US$93) to each household.

'€œThe cash is meant to pay for two-month'€™s rent in the temporary residences until they relocate to the apartments,'€ he said.

Ahok stressed that the city administration would not offer compensation for others who built houses illegally in the area. The deputy governor acknowledged the challenge the city would face in its efforts to clear the area.

'€œIt will be like Pluit Dam relocation all over again. That'€™s why we will involve the police,'€ he said.

The governor made an inspection of the site on Monday and made a statement to the media that with the regreening program, the dam would function as a reservoir to help ease the annual flooding in the city and as an open space for the public.

He aims to increase the city'€™s green areas from the current 9 percent to 30 percent.

Residents have reportedly rejected the amount of money offered to them. '€œThe residents are not happy with the amount of money,'€ resident Mufli Ardi said as quoted by kompas.com.

Mufli argued that most residents had suffered from losses caused by a recent fire incident.

'€œA resident spent up to Rp 30 million to rebuild his home and then we heard the city'€™s plan. Of course they disagree,'€ he said.

The Jakarta Parks and Cemetery Agency and city-owned property developer PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro), which owns and operates the south side of the reservoir area, will establish city parks on the 26-hectare site, which includes the 9-hectare reservoir.

The agency will build a park on the west side, while Jakpro will build another one on the south side.

Construction will start next month and is expected to be completed by next year.

In the preliminary plan, the site will have a multipurpose hall, jogging tracks, an amphitheater and an indoor sports center. The plan will affect squatters occupying the east side of the area.

The city administration has allocated Rp 3 billion for the construction of city parks in the reservoir site.