Rano Karno Ready to Set Up Office in Old Town to Accelerate Revitalisation

Jakarta’s Deputy Governor Rano Karno has affirmed the seriousness of the DKI Provincial Government in accelerating the revitalisation of Old Town. Rano even plans to office directly in the Old Town area to supervise the development from close proximity.

“Insyaallah at the right time, I myself as the person in charge will office in Old Town,” Rano stated at Jakarta City Hall on Thursday (9/4/2026).

According to him, this step is being taken while awaiting the formation of the Old Town Management Agency, similar to the practice implemented in Semarang’s Old Town. In the meantime, the revitalisation team that has been formed will office on site to monitor daily needs and progress.

Rano also revealed that Old Town will be divided into three zones: the core zone, development zone, and supporting zone. The core zone, covering around 80 hectares, will be the initial focus.

“This core zone includes the Maritime Museum and the Fatahillah Square area. The first thing we will build is the parking area and facilities for street vendors to make them organised, but still supporting community life,” he explained.

The DKI Provincial Government is also involving a consortium and experts, including Professor Andi, an expert in planning Semarang’s Old Town, to align the three existing masterplans: from Citata, MRT, and Pembangunan Jaya. These three will be collaborated into a single revitalisation roadmap.

Rano added that the DKI Provincial Government is also studying the construction of a tram in Old Town as part of efforts to make the area low-emission while bringing back the nostalgic feel of Jakarta’s old transportation.

“When I was little, I used to ride the tram from Pasar Baru to Old Town. The tram could be a solution to reduce emissions,” he said.

He assured that the revitalisation will not only touch the Fatahillah area but also the Harmoni corridor and surrounding accesses, including the river and pedestrian paths that are still considered poor.

“All of that is part of the Old Town development. We will see what needs to be prioritised first,” he added.