Residents protest ring road project<\/p>\n
Wahyuana
\nThe Jakarta Post, Bekasi<\/p>\n
At least 100 residents of the Pasar Kecapi and Jatiwarna
\nsubdistricts in Pondok Melati, Bekasi, protested against the
\nJakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR) project on Thursday after they
\nfailed to reach an agreement about land prices.<\/p>\n
The protesters burned tires and tore down some construction
\nwork along the Hamkam Raya-Jatiasih section.<\/p>\n
\"We had agreed to give up our houses and lots and receive
\ncompensation worth Rp 1.1 million a meter as stipulated in a
\ndecree issued by Bekasi Mayor Ahmad Zurfaih. But, until now, PT
\nJasa Marga has not paid us. I heard Jasa Marga does not want to
\npay compensation,\" Awing Asmawi, a protester, said to The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
The angry residents said they would give Jasa Marga two weeks
\nto pay, or they would destroy the toll road now under
\nconstruction.<\/p>\n
State company Jasa Marga is currently constructing a nine-
\nkilometer road linking Hamkam Raya in East Jakarta with Cikunir
\nin Bekasi, West Java. The Hamkam Raya-Cikunir road is one of two
\nsections of the Hankam Raya-Jatiasih toll road project.<\/p>\n
Protesters from Jatiwarna staged the protest at the Hankam
\nRaya-Jatiasih section. They said Jasa Marga had not paid
\ncompensation for more than 8 hectares of land affected by the
\nproject.<\/p>\n
Sunarto, head of the toll road project, told the Post on
\nThursday that the firm was not willing to pay compensation as
\nhigh as Rp 1.1 million a square meter.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot afford to pay Rp 1.1 million a meter,\" said
\nSunarto, complaining that land brokers had provoked local
\nresidents to raise the prices of land there.<\/p>\n
\"We have proposed an alternative solution to the dispute. We
\nagree to pay Rp 1.1 million for land used for the main body of
\nthe road. The farther the land from the body of the main road,
\nthe cheaper it becomes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sunarto said the firm had set up a small team, which along
\nwith Ministry of Public Works officials, would negotiate with
\nresidents and the Bekasi municipal administration.<\/p>\n
\"We will wait for the results of their negotiations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Municipality spokesman Endang Suharyadi said \"the residents
\nhave agreed to give up their lands for Rp 1.1 million a square
\nmeter. If Jasa Marga does not want to pay that much, they have to
\nnegotiate directly with these people.\"<\/p>\n
Last week, a special team established by the Bekasi Council to
\nhelp to find resolution to the land dispute had met with a team
\nfrom the Ministry of Public Works.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Public Works official and team member Riri said
\nthe team was working on new quotes for the land affected by the
\nproject.<\/p>\n
The development of the outer ring road project started in the
\nearly 1990s by private company PT Marga Nurido Bhakti.<\/p>\n
After the 1997 economic crisis, the company ran out of money
\nand the construction was stopped.<\/p>\n
In 2000, however, Jasa Marga took over the project.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/residents-protest-ring-road-project-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }