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Surakarta building apartment blocks to restore Bengawan Solo tributary
The Surakarta administration is continuing the construction of blocks holding hundreds of apartments along the Pepe River, not only to restore this tributary of the Bengawan Solo River, but to clear its banks of illegal buildings.
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Clean and green – The Surakarta administration is set to continue developing blocks holding hundreds of apartments on the banks of the Pepe River. The construction of the row houses is not only aimed at restoring this tributary of the Bengawan Solo River, but also at clearing the area of illegal buildings. (thejakartapost.com/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
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he Surakarta administration is continuing the construction of blocks holding hundreds of apartments along the Pepe River, not only to restore this tributary of the Bengawan Solo River, but to clear its banks of illegal buildings.
There are at least 300 illegal buildings on the banks of the Pepe River that are not suitable for human habitation. Every day the houses pollute the river with domestic waste. This year’s construction is the second phase of a row house development project in Surakarta. The city administration completed 44 row houses worth Rp 6.6 billion (US$486,000) in 2015. The apartments will be used to accommodate people previously living in the illegal houses.
The occupants of the buildings will be required to pay rent. They will get only a right-to-use certificate, not a building ownership permit, since they all received money as compensation for their demolished houses and the building demolition costs.
“The apartment block construction program has been going on since 2014. It aims to build around 300 row houses within five years. It is part of the Pepe River management program,” said Surakarta Public Works Agency head Endah Sitaresmi on Wednesday.
Endah said the city administration aimed to manage the Pepe River from te upstream to the downstream areas. The management would be conducted in stages. The first stage of the river bank management project would cover the Keprabon area in the Banjarsari district. The second stage would be conducted in the Ketelan area around the Pura Mangkunegaran Palace compound.
The Pepe River flows from north to southeast for 7.8 kilometers starting from the Tirtonadi bus terminal through to Demangan. This tributary of the Bengawan Solo River is flanked by15 subdistricts in three districts, namely Banjarsari, Jebres and Pasar Kliwon.
Endah said the apartment blocks to be built in 2016 would be designed as two-story buildings, like the ones previously built in the Keprabon area. The first floors would be used as trade and business places by the residents while the second floor would be used for living space.
“This concept would make the banks of the Pepe River cleaner and more orderly. The kiosks would be built open, without walls. We suggest all of the occupants can put decorative plants in their homes, making them harmoniously chic,” said Endah.
She said the construction of the apartment buildings would be integrated with the development of a communal wastewater processing installation and the management of pedestrians in the Mangkunegaran areas.
“The construction of the apartment blocks is set to finish this year. Next year, we have proposed Rp 17 billion worth of budgetary allocations for the third phase of construction. If our local budget is limited, we will request funds from the central government,” said Endah.
Separately, Surakarta Mayor FX Hadi “Rudy” Rudyatmo said the city administration was in the process of disbursing funds for the demolition of illegal buildings built by residents on the banks of the Pepe River. He said the second phase of the construction of the apartment buildings would start at the beginning of June.
“This month [May], we have paid compensation for houses and the demolition costs to Kali Pepe residents. We will start the construction of the apartments next week,” said Rudy. (ebf)
