(Kompas/Iwan Setiyawan)

The Jakarta city administration is to develop 660 low-cost apartments in Muara Angke, North Jakarta, for fishermen. The groundbreaking of the apartments, which will be developed by developer PT Agung Podomoro and PT Jakarta Propertindo, will be held in September.

City Housing and Building Agency head Ika Lestari said the two developers were required by existing regulations to develop low-cost residential facilities after obtaining permits for constructing property projects in the city.

'€œThe land is owned by the city administration. The developers will construct the apartments as part of their obligations,'€ Ika said on Saturday as reported by beritajakarta.com.

The five-floor building, developed on a three-hectare plot of land, will be lived in by fishermen operating in the surrounding Muara Angke waters.

The apartments, construction of which is expected to finish sometime next year, will be equipped with a number of facilities, including equipment to be used by fishermen to dry their fish.

According to Ika, the city administration needs to develop more apartments in the area because the number of fishermen is much higher than 660. '€œIt is only the first stage. We need to develop more apartments,'€ she said.

Previously, Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has said that his administration would construct 50,000 apartments in the capital city by 2017. The city administration has intensified its efforts to develop vertical residential facilities aimed at both low-income families and middle-class citizens.

With a total population of about 10 million, housing shortages are one of the major concerns the Jakarta city administration is focusing on. (bbn) (++++)

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