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Kalijodo to become interactive tourist attraction: Deputy Governor
Now that Kalijodo has been officially closed down and cleared of its buildings and people, the city administration plan to transform Jakarta’s infamous former red-light district into an interactive tourist park.
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City administration public order officers monitor the demolition of buildings at Kalijodo in Jakarta on Monday. The city administration aims to transform Jakarta's infamous former red-light district into a tourist park. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja) (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
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span style="color: rgb(49, 53, 52); letter-spacing: 0.1pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Now that Kalijodo has been officially closed down and cleared of its buildings and people, the city administration plan to transform Jakarta’s infamous former red-light district into an interactive tourist park.
Kalijodo has a high historical value, Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat emphasized, adding that the city wished to maintain the Kalijodo name in an effort to preserve an element of the district’s past.
"We hope to transform Kalijodo into an iconic new travel destination in Jakarta," Djarot said on Monday during a visit to the demolition site, promising that the city would develop a park worthy of attracting significant tourism numbers.
The city is currently compiling a series of photos through which to later illustrate the district’s transformation from red-light district to interactive park.
"The documentation aims to show the public that city refuses to succumb to pressure from thugs. We want to show that we are serious in our effort to return this land to its original function as a green space," Djarot said.
As part of its public engagement efforts, the city will host a design contest through which it plans to select a Kalijodo park design.
The city administration also says that it will not use the regional budget for the park development and have elected to use highlight the project as part of a push for companies to comply with their Corporate Social Responsibility programs.
The city officially closed and demolished the capital's mid-to-low class red-light district on Monday. A joint team consisting of thousands of Jakarta Police and Indonesian Military personnel helped the city administration to secure the location and proceed with demolition, aided by at least 15 excavators.
Prior to the recent eviction and its subsequent demolition, Kalijodo had returned to the spotlight following a fatal car accident that resulted in the death of four people in early February. (rin)
