Medan expansion sought by mayor

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Medan Mayor Bachtiar Djafar said the realization of a greater Medan area program would be the only answer to effectively manage the city's rapid development.

The greater Medan area program, in which the city administration would annex the neighboring Binjai mayoralty and Deli Serdang regency into its administrative jurisdiction, was first proposed to the North Sumatra governor in 1990.

"However we have not received an answer from the governor, despite this being an urgent need for us," Antara quoted Bachtiar as saying.

Bachtiar pointed out that the 26,510 hectare city is no longer adequate to accommodate its nearly two million inhabitants.

Medan is the country's third largest city after Jakarta and Surabaya. (prb)