Menteng Residents Demand Compensation Over Inspection Road Construction Project
Reported by Andry | Translated by Nugroho Adibrata
Residents living at RW 08, Gang Eretan, Jalan Pasir, Kebon Sirih Urban Village, Menteng Sub-District, Central Jakarta, who are affected by the construction project of inspection road on Ciliwung Riverbank, refused to be relocated to Komarudin Flat, Cakung, East Jakarta, if there was no compensation. They reasoned always pay land and building tax (PBB) every year despite not having land certificates.
I don’t have land certificate, but I always pay the PBB on time and have proofs of it. I want compensation to look for other place to stay
“I don’t want to be relocated to Komarudin Flat if I didn’t get compensation. For what? How about my business? It’s far going from Cakung,” expressed Ahmad Fauzi (38), a resident of RT 01/08 who works as a coffee seller in Monas, Wednesday (6/25.
Priok Toll Access Project Compensation Money Leave to Court“I don’t have land certificate, but I always pay the PBB on time and have proofs of it. I want compensation to look for other place to stay. It was told there would be socialization after Eid ul Fitr. As far as I know, the project will affect 7.5 meters of our houses,” said Elly Sihota (52), another local.
Chief of RT 10/08, Eli Shotang, confirmed about the socialization plan on the inspection road construction project. “It is probably held after Eid ul Fitr. In RW 08, there are 9 out of 14 RTs affected by the project, namely RT 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08, 10, and 14. Mostly affected by the project are RT 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, and 07. In my RT, 7 houses are affected the project,” he informed.
Meanwhile, Head of Menteng Sub-District, Bondan Dyah Ekowati, denies that residents in RW 08, Jalan Kali Pasir, refused being relocated. “I haven’t heard it, because local government had corresponded and met with local RT/RW figures as well as the locals,” she stated.
Based on the data gathered in the field, Ekowati continued, there are two groups of residents in RW 08, namely those who have Jakarta ID cards (KTP) and PBB, and those who do not have it. In details, 150 residents have had it, while 100 others have not. “150 people have the rights to be relocated to Komarudin Flat because they have KTP and PBB,” she told.
Ekowati also disclosed that the residents living in that area are mostly only renting houses because the land cannot be bought since it is an irrigation land. “Inspection road was going to be built in the 80’s, but the project stagnated. That’s why people came back (occupying the land),” she explained.
According to Coordinator of Dams and Rivers Normalization, Heriyanto, the inspection road will be built for as long as 2,100 meters from Jalan Raden Saleh until Tani Monument. “About 900 meters of inspection road have been built so far. There will be no compensation for those who live on Ciliwung Riverbank, because they are occupying government’s land. So, the road will remain be built,” he asserted.
