Bekasi City Government Demolishes 72 Illegal Structures Along Kali Baru Canal, Owners Disappointed Over Lack of Compensation

The Bekasi City Spatial Planning Department (Distaru) demolished 72 illegal structures built along the secondary channel of Kali Baru Canal, Jalan Nonon Sontanie, Bekasi Jaya, East Bekasi Subdistrict, Bekasi City, on Wednesday (22/4/2026). The enforcement was carried out because the buildings stood on land owned by Perum Jasa Tirta (PJT) II, which is planned to be used for road and drainage infrastructure development. Head of Distaru Bekasi City, Arief Maulana, revealed that some residents had already demolished their buildings independently before the execution process took place. Arief detailed that dozens of these unlicensed structures were scattered across RT 03, 05, 06, and RT 010 in RW 02. He targeted completing the demolition process in a short time. “This demolition plan will be carried out over the next two days,” he stated. According to Arief, residents who had occupied the location could not show proof of legal land ownership. “These buildings are confirmed to have no land ownership or Certificate of Ownership Rights (SHM). The land they occupy indeed belongs to PJT II,” he said. He also assured that the enforcement process had gone through administrative stages, including warnings to residents and negotiation efforts. On the other hand, residents affected by the eviction expressed disappointment over not receiving compensation. One of them, Odah (51), who had lived at the location for 15 years, admitted that she had known from the start that the land she occupied belonged to PJT II. However, she thought the land use would continue for a long time. “I thought it would still be used for a long time. That’s why I’ve been living here until now,” she said. During her stay in the house, Odah lived with six family members: her husband, four children, and one sister-in-law. She has already demolished her house independently and plans to reuse the building materials in her hometown.