Land compensation stalls roadwork

TANGERANG: Construction of the 800-meter-long Ciputat overpass has been delayed by six months because the owners of the land needed for the project are demanding more money.

The 140 house owners want Rp 2 million (US$215) per square meter for their land, while the administration is offering Rp 1.4 million per square meter.

"The price should be higher because our land is located in a very strategic area," Yepi Hermawan told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The overpass will connect Jl. Dewi Sartika and Jl. Ir. H. Juanda, allowing motorists to avoid the crowded Ciputat market, south of Jakarta.

Tangerang Regent Ismet Iskandar said that according to land taxes, land in the area in question was valued at Rp 1 million per square meter.

"Because of this problem we have had to postpone construction until January 2005," he said. -- JP