Questioned raised over Ancol reclamation work
JAKARTA (JP): A member of the City Council questioned yesterday a reclamation project being conducted along the East Ancol shoreline, North Jakarta, by a private company because the work is being done at a time when a decree on reclamation in the area is still being deliberated.
Lukman F. Mokoginta, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction of the council, said that it is important for the city administration to clarify whether or not this particular section of coast is included in the city's large-scale land reclamation project.
PT Manggala Karya Yudha started the first phase of its reclamation project to reclaim a total of 500 hectares of shoreline in east Ancol on Thursday. The first phase will create about 75 hectare of land.
The reclamation work is being conducted in cooperation with state-owned port managing company PT Pelindo II and is expected to be completed within 12 years.
Out of the 500-hectare reclamation project, about 125 hectares will be used by PT Pelindo to expand its port complex, while the remaining 325 hectares will be used by PT Manggala Karya Yudha for the establishment of a business center and residential area.
"We want to know whether it is part of the city's project, because currently we are still preparing the decree on land reclamation," Lukman said.
He said that the explanation is badly needed to avoid confusion among the public.
Lukman said that the deliberation of the decree, which will regulate every aspect in the reclamation project, called the new waterfront city, ranging from its city planning to the establishment of an authority in charge its management, is expected to be completed within one month.
Meanwhile, City Secretary's Assistant for Development Administration Prawoto Danoemihardjo said that the project which has been started and the city's program will be integrated.
"Of course PT Mandala's reclamation works will be integrated with the city's reclamation project," he said without giving details.
The city administration is embarking on the large-scale reclamation project along the northern coastline in a bid to obtain an extra 2,700 hectares of land.
Out of the 2,700 hectares, 1,222 hectares will be used for the development of residential areas, 88 hectares as a central business district, 426 hectares for a combination of industrial estates and business center areas, 37 hectares for green areas, 420 hectares as a mangrove forests, 136 hectares for port and industrial areas and 371 hectares for other supporting facility sites.
The waterfront city will be divided into three zones: Western zone (from Pluit to Kamal Muara) for housing, Central zone (from Pluit to Koja) for a business district with high-rise housing, East zone (from Koja to Cilincing) for the expansion of the Tanjung Priok port, business center and low-cost residential areas. (yns)