BSD lacks vision

BSD lacks vision

From Kompas

The Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) development in Tangerang has now taken a direction that is quite different from the original plan. The development attracted a lot of buyers at first because of its concept of being a new city characterized by good quality parks -- a city that was intended to develop as a mid-sized city and alternative to the congested metropolis that is Jakarta.

Therefore, the people who bought houses in BSD hoped that they would be able to enjoy a more comfortable life there. Of course, as it is a new city it still needed to be able to offer employment opportunities so that its residents did not have to commute to Jakarta.

However, many BSD residents are worried about the future direction of the new city. They would like to know where the civic center, or city hall, will be located. A strategic location for this facility is now occupied by the International Trade Center (ITC) and its Carrefour. BSD residents also would like to know what landmarks the new city will have and what are its boundaries. Another question is whether or not the city will adopt its own symbol.

As things stand at the moment, the houses are grouped in clusters just like lines of factories (the old cluster type has been abandoned).

The responsibility for planning the city lies not only with the developer but also the people living there. Residents must be involved in the planning the city. The way things are now, a number of BSD residents are thinking of selling their houses and moving into apartments.

WILDAN R. Tangerang, Banten