City set to convert 32 gas stations into public parks

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta administration has decided not to extend the permits for six of the 32 gas stations occupying land designated as green areas in the capital.

"We will start turning six gas stations into parks next year," said Jakarta Parks Agency head Sarwo Handhayani during a hearing with City Council Commission D for development and transportation affairs.

Handhayani said the gas stations included the two located on the median strip of Jl. Hayam Wuruk in Kota, West Jakarta, one on Jl. Kwitang in Central Jakarta, one on Jl. DI Pandjaitan and another on Jl. Ahmad Yani in East Jakarta.

She said the management of the gas station on Jl. Ahmad Yani had also built a drugstore on the land designated as a green area.

"We will also take action against 26 other gas stations built on green areas," she said.

Thirty-two gas stations occupy five hectares of designated parkland or green areas. Previously 36 gas stations stood on 5.32 hectares of land designated as green zones, but four of the stations had been closed and the land rehabilitated.

The construction of gas stations in green zones violates Bylaw No. 11/1988 on public order. It states that no buildings, including gas stations, are allowed to occupy green areas, which function as the city's lungs and water catchments.

Other gas stations in designated green zones are located on Jl. Lapangan Ros in South Jakarta, around the Semanggi cloverleaf and at Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta.

The operational permits for these gas stations were issued by then governor Ali Sadikin in the 1970s.

Several top figures, like former president Megawati Soekarnoputri's husband Taufik Kiemas and former president Soeharto's son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, are among those who own the stations.

More than 300 buildings owned by private enterprises, state- owned companies, the city police, street vendors and various youth organizations have been build in green zones, according to the agency.

The buildings include office buildings, premises of state- owned companies, youth organization posts, police posts, power relay stations, shops and kiosks.

The city has 208.6 hectares of parkland, 557.8 hectares of greened median strips and 1,295.5 hectares of green areas or urban forests.

Based on the Jakarta Master Plan for 2000-2010, the city targets green zones to represent up to 13.94 percent of Jakarta's 63,744 hectares. Currently, green zones account for 9 percent of the total city area.

Gas stations in green zones

Central Jakarta:

North Jakarta:

West Jakarta:

South Jakarta:

East Jakarta:

Source: Jakarta Parks Agency