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Residents worried by plan to restore Tuntang-Ambarawa railway
Hundreds of residents are up-in-arms over a plan by state-railway company PT KAI to re-establish the Tuntang-Ambarawa railway in Central Java
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undreds of residents are up-in-arms over a plan by state-railway company PT KAI to re-establish the Tuntang-Ambarawa railway in Central Java.
The residents, who live on and around the decommissioned track, will be evicted to make way for the railway project: They hope to be provided with new homes by KAI as compensation.
Purdiantoko, 53, one of the residents in Lodoyong subdistrict, Ambarawa, said that his community had lived along the railway for years.
He said that each resident was asked by KAI to pay Rp 200,000 (US$17.20) per year in rental fees, in addition to land and building taxes.
"We know this land belongs to KAI but we hope that the company will provide us with new housing [...] we are happy to pay rent if asked," Purdiantoko said on Wednesday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.
He said that KAI had informed the local residents about its plan to restore the railway track.
Meanwhile, Said Riswanto, a member of the Semarang Legislative Council, urged KAI to not rush into the relocation of the residents.
He also asked the regional administration to build low-cost apartments to accommodate the evictees. "It would be better if the residents have full ownership of their new property," Said remarked. (yln)
