Illegal Car Garage Built on Pavement in Bandung Demolished by Satpol PP

A building functioning as a car garage stood on a pavement, creating an odd sight on Jalan Ambon in Bandung, West Java, which subsequently went viral on social media. The structure resembled a storage shed, but social media posts showed it was being used as a car parking space. This situation drew widespread opposition. Mugni, a passing resident, voiced his protest after the pavement was used for private interests. “That’s outrageous. It’s a public facility for pedestrians, yet it’s been turned into a building and used as a parking space,” Mugni said on Sunday (14/6/2026). Mugni urged the local government to intervene immediately, demanding not only demolition but also sanctions for the party responsible for violating regulations. “It shouldn’t just be demolished; the person responsible must also be sanctioned so they don’t arbitrarily use public facilities for private purposes again,” Mugni stated.

The garage was not privately owned but was used to store a waste transport tricycle, or Triseda. This explanation was provided directly by the head of RW 06, Citarum Village, Anne Rahadi. The 67-year-old explained that the car parked in the garage belonged to her, but the garage itself was not private property as it had been used to store the waste tricycle. “Firstly, I was very shocked. I knew nothing about it because I got the news from residents. Now, I want to explain. I never intended to build a structure, especially on the pavement, let alone for private use as a car garage,” she said. Anne explained that on Saturday (13/6/2026), her house, which also operates as a café, was full of vehicles. For security reasons, she took the initiative to move her private car into the tricycle garage. The garage was built with several considerations, one of which was to prevent theft, as Anne had several times lost spare parts from the tricycle when it was parked carelessly. “Because it was full here, my child came with friends, and the car was moved out. But parking outside was also full, so my community protection officer put it into the garage first. I built that structure for the purpose of safeguarding the Triseda so it could be maintained,” Anne revealed. “Why? I have personal experience. A few years ago, the Triseda we were given was completely wrecked due to lack of maintenance, exposure to heat and rain. Its spare parts were stolen. That’s why I built that structure through self-help, asking for assistance from residents to save the Triseda and store any equipment I requested from the village office for the environmental cleanliness needs of RW 06,” Anne detailed. Anne apologised if the garage she built violated regulations. The garage was planned for demolition, but Anne hoped for an alternative policy so the RW’s equipment could be moved elsewhere. “So perhaps I apologise in advance. Firstly, I apologise, I was wrong. If people say I am wrong, I accept it,” Anne said. “We have no space in my neighbourhood for a warehouse; we don’t even have a place for an RW hall. That is the only spot in my neighbourhood. And I hope, I ask for understanding and forbearance, that it not be demolished,” Anne explained.

The pavement garage was ultimately demolished by the Bandung City Public Order Agency (Satpol PP). Officers carried out the demolition using hammers and pulled the structure down with a makeshift vehicle until it was level with the ground. Dozens of officers were deployed to demolish the garage. After being struck with hammers, the building finally collapsed. “After we received direct instructions from the Head of Satpol PP and the Mayor, we carried out the demolition,” said Bandung City Satpol PP Head of Public Order and Community Protection, Krismarjadi, on Sunday (14/6/2026). Krismarjadi stated that regardless of the reason, the garage violated pavement regulations. Moreover, the building had covered a drainage channel, potentially causing flooding. “After we obtained information from the local area, it turned out this building was constructed by the local RW to garage their Triseda. The Triseda was initially government assistance, and we received information several times that the Triseda had gone missing. So now it was built,” Krismarjadi said. “But the location is also inappropriate. It is already on top of a drainage channel. Initially, we wanted the RW to demolish it themselves, but they asked for time and so forth. Therefore, we are now carrying out a forced demolition,” Krismarjadi stated. He declared there was no justification for constructing a building on a pedestrian facility, warning that such a condition would create a wrong perception for other areas. “So due to a lack of space, it ended up being used. But we must consider this, especially as they are our working partners in the local government and should ideally set an example,” he said. “In other places, it might be fine, but this is on top of a drainage channel. The local regulation is also clear. Therefore, we must not create a situation where it seems like we are finding a solution but by violating rules, as that is also not allowed,” Krismarjadi explained.