To speed up the process of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction, as many as 59 buildings along Jalan Raya Fatmawati, Cilandak, South Jakarta, are forcibly demolished by Jakarta Satpol PP personnel, Wednesday (9/3).

We have given them enough time. This land will immediately be used by MRT

South Jakarta Mayor, Syamsuddin Noor, said this demolition is the third phase done by Jakarta Provincial Government to acquiesce the land lots affected by MRT project. Those buildings had to be demolished forcibly because the building owners still reluctant to demolish their buildings themselves, despite they have received the compensation money for their buildings in 2011.

“The building owners did not want to demolish their buildings themselves although the compensation money has been paid. We also have done socialization numerous times. We have given them enough time. This land will immediately be used by MRT,” he stated.

Head of Cilandak Sub-District, Dhany Sukma, confirmed that the compensation money for all buildings affected by MRT project in Cilandak has been paid.

“There are 48 buildings in Cilandak which compensation money has been paid, starting from Fatmawati intersection until Jalan Haji Nawi. The rest is included in Kebayoran Baru Sub-District,” he uttered.

Meanwhile, Head of Jakarta Satpol PP, Kukuh Hadi Santoso, informed that as many as 150 joint personnel from Satpol PP (100 men) and related units (50 men) are deployed in this demolition.

“So, from those 59 buildings, eight building owners demolish their buildings themselves and we demolished the remaining 51 buildings. To ease the demolition process, we use three excavators,” he told.

Because of this demolition, the traffic on Jalan Raya Fatmwati had congested quite severe because many motorists slowing down and even stopping their vehicles to watch the demolition process.