Huntap Construction in Tanah Datar Accelerates, 42 Units Ready for Occupancy
The front section of the integrated relocation complex in Ladang Laweh, Rambatan District, covering 3.8 hectares, is already occupied by survivors of the 2024 Mount Merapi cold lava flood. The rear section, spanning approximately 17 hectares, is being developed by the Danantara Investment Management Agency (BPI Danantara) for 79 permanent housing units (huntap) intended for survivors of the November 2025 Sumatra flash floods. Each house is a type 36 unit on a plot measuring 9.6 metres by 12.5 metres, comprising a terrace, living room, two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen.
During a visit by Tanah Datar Regent Eka Putra alongside representatives from the PRR Task Force and the Ministry of Home Affairs, concrete roads, street lighting, drainage, sports fields, and telecommunications networks were observed to be ready. Tempo journalists confirmed that the Telkomsel network signal was fully functional. Regent Eka Putra stated that 42 units, or 53 percent, are ready for occupancy, with the remainder awaiting roof installation. The initial handover target was August, but fuel supply disruptions have hampered material deliveries, pushing the expected handover to September. Eka Putra expressed hope that the central government would address the diesel distribution issue so residents can move in promptly.
Ministry of Home Affairs representative Fernando H. Siagian and National PRR Task Force Media Coordinator Kastorius Sinaga received the regent’s concerns and pledged to relay them to the task force head. Sinaga also highlighted the importance of economic recovery for the residents, given the distance from their original farms and fields. Regent Eka Putra noted that the prospective residents are mostly traders and farmers, and the local government has prepared agricultural land adjacent to the housing complex for corn farming, which is already being managed by farmer groups.
Fernando also urged the regent to monitor for any recipients who might rent out or sell their allocated homes and then rebuild on their original, disaster-prone land. Eka Putra assured that all recipients are registered by name and address, and any violations will result in blacklisting and fines as stipulated in the handover agreement.
According to Ahdiyarsyah, Head of the Public Housing, Settlement Areas, and Land Affairs Office (Disperkimtan) of West Sumatra Province, Tanah Datar Regency is preparing 82 permanent housing units, with 79 being built communally by Danantara and three constructed independently. The rapid progress aligns with the provincial government’s acceleration efforts. Overall, West Sumatra targets the construction of 2,566 huntap units, with 1,807 built under the communal relocation scheme and the remainder as independent units.
In Padang City, 39 units built by the Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation are expected to be handed over to beneficiaries by the end of July 2026. The main challenge remains land acquisition for an additional 301 units, requiring 6 to 7 hectares, while only 3 hectares are currently available, out of a total target of 523 units. In Agam Regency, only one of five proposed sites for 160 units is classified as a low disaster risk zone, with the other four in high-risk zones, necessitating further coordination. Agam is also pursuing the use of a 126-hectare former HGU land parcel owned by PT Inang Sari, with the acquisition process ongoing at the West Sumatra BPN office. Padang Pariaman Regency plans to build 209 units, requiring at least 4 hectares of land, with plans to utilise assets owned by PLN and the River Basin Agency (BWS), though the release process faces regulatory hurdles for state-owned enterprises.