Kebon Kacang land price higher

JAKARTA (JP): After a heated dispute with local residents, a developer has agreed to increase his offer for land in Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta, by Rp 100,000 (US$43.47) per square meter.

Central Jakarta Mayor Abdul Kahfi said Thursday that PT Asia Troika has agreed to increase the price from Rp 2.5 million per square meter to Rp 2.6 million for certified land and from Rp 2.25 million to Rp 2.35 million for uncertified land.

Nineteen families, whose buildings stand on 2,000 square meters of land in Kebon Kacang, have been at loggerheads with the developer over compensation. They demanded that the developer pay them Rp 5 million for each square meter of land.

The residents have protested the mayoralty's demolition order to the City Council. In response to the residents' protest, councilors said last week that the mayoralty has no right to take the side of a developer in such a case.

Mayor Abdul Kahfi urged the residents on Thursday to accept the highest offer, or the mayoralty would have their houses demolished.

He said four years ago the developer offered only Rp 350,000 in compensation for one square meter of the same land.

Kahfi defended his plan by saying that the land must be appropriated for public facilities such as road enlargement.

The developer plans to build a hotel and apartments on 1.8 hectares of land which stretches from Tanah Abang to Jl. Thamrin.

"The project has been delayed for years, so there will be no other choice but to pull the buildings down," he said. (yns)