T

/span>The residents of the upmarket Pondok Indah housing complex in South Jakarta are continuing their fight to halt the construction of the Pondok Indah superblock project, which they believe will worsen traffic and disrupt drainage in the area.

The residents are currently working with the Rujak Center for Urban Studies (RCUS) to collect data on how the megaproject will affect the neighborhood, before filing an appeal with the Jakarta administration to halt the construction, which is being carried out by publicly listed PT Metropolitan Kentjana.

“We are not anti-development; we are just concerned about the impact that may arise from the expansion of malls and apartments,” said Syahrial, head of the Pondok Indah Subdistrict Leaders Forum (LMK).

Mugirto, coordinator of the protest, also said that the residents had not been involved in the environmental impact assessment (Amdal) for the project. “The expansion of the business area should not receive Amdal approval from the city administration as it didn’t involve us, the residents.”

Dian Irawaty, an urban planner from the Rujak Center said the construction of new malls and apartments violated certain laws.

“It violates Law No. 26/2007 on spatial planning, especially relating to public participation. It also violates Law No. 32/2009 on environmental impact analysis, which stipulates that a development must meet environmental, social and economic aspects,” she argued.

The developer, whose majority shares are owned by business tycoon Sri Hartati Murdaya, has a plan to build the so-called Pondok Indah Town Center (PITC) on 42 hectares of land.

Its urban design guidelines were approved by former governor Sutiyoso during his tenure in 2007, which led to its receiving Amdal approval and a construction permit.

The company is currently building a new street gallery, aka Pondok Indah Mall 3, and international standard apartments within the compound as part of the PITC project.

Metropolitan Kentjana’s vice president, Jeffri Sandra Tanudjaja, said on Thursday that the company had not violated any laws as it had kept to the original plan.

“We’re currently building a street gallery and apartments that are part of our superblock project. It is not that we’re developing a housing complex for commercial use; we’re currently using our remaining 26 hectares of land,” he said, adding that the new buildings would have a drainage system separate from that of the housing complex.

Head of city resources management at the Regional Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD), Dian Wiwekowati, said that the company had updated its Amdal document in 2011 for the Pondok
Indah Mall 3 construction.

According to Iwan Kurniawan, head of land use management with the Jakarta Spatial Planning Agency, urban design guidelines should be reviewed every five years.

“The design for the Pondok Indah project is currently being reviewed. If there is no problem, the company will be free to continue,” he said.

Agency head Gamal Sinurat said, however, that the company was still in the early stages of the required process to update its construction permit.

“We’re still reviewing the building layout plan before moving on to review the environmental impact assessment,” he said.

In response to the locals’ objections, Gamal stressed the importance of dialogue.

“The people have the right to speak their minds. They can express their views to the local government to seek the best solution for both themselves and the developer,” he added.

Similarly, chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Association of Shopping Centers, Handaka Santoso, found no problem in the plan to build more malls.

“Indonesia’s middle-class is growing, as too is people’s purchasing power. Both these factors will help local and global businesses grow in this country.” (koi)