Rano Karno to Set Up Office in Old Town to Oversee Revitalisation
Jakarta’s Deputy Governor Rano Karno has confirmed that he will soon set up an office in the Old Town area to directly oversee the revitalisation process of the historic district.
Rano emphasised that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, along with all stakeholders, is fully committed to reorganising the cultural heritage area.
“This seriousness is evident as we already have the Old Town Revitalisation Team, and God willing, at the right time, I myself, as the person in charge, will set up an office in Old Town,” Rano stated at the DKI Jakarta City Hall in Central Jakarta on Thursday (9/4).
He conveyed this decision to relocate the leadership’s operational centre to provide assurance to the public.
“So here, we are giving confidence that the DKI Provincial Government is serious about developing Old Town,” Rano said.
To ensure the project runs effectively without bureaucratic hurdles, Rano revealed that they have formed a working group (pokja) to expedite cross-sector coordination.
Currently, the revitalisation team is finalising the arrangement of the office that will serve as the command post in the coming weeks.
“In the meantime, perhaps the place is already available, and our plan is to design the interior. Maybe in another month, we will move to Old Town,” Rano said.
Regarding the duration of his fieldwork, Rano stated that the revitalisation team will remain vigilant until the area’s management system is ready to be handed over to a special body.
“The office setup, well, perhaps as long as Old Town is not yet ready, because later Old Town should be managed like in Semarang, namely by a Management Body. So, we here will only be the revitalisation team to know the steps we need to take first,” Rano explained.
He also mentioned that the initial layout steps will integrate three master plans from various agencies to determine work priorities.
“We already have three master plans: the first from Citata, then from MRT, and then from Pembangunan Jaya. Now, we will collaborate them into one. That will then become the priorities,” Rano clarified.
He stressed that the scope of this revitalisation is not limited and extends beyond just the legacy buildings.
Improvements to supporting infrastructure in the surrounding areas, which are still in a concerning condition, will also be part of the development focus.
“Meanwhile, what is called Old Town is actually not just in Old Town, but from the Harmoni Gate onwards. Try to see, friends, the river, for example, the canal and the pedestrian paths are still bad; that is also part of Old Town’s development,” Rano said.
Furthermore, Rano assured that this preservation project is being carried out professionally by engaging urban conservation experts.
The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has specifically appointed an academic figure with a proven track record of successfully revitalising historic areas in Central Java.
“This indicates that the DKI Provincial Government is serious about continuing, meaning revitalising Old Town, as yesterday we visited and we have also involved experts who previously helped build the Old Town in Semarang, namely Prof. Andi as the head of the Old Town Revitalisation Team,” Rano stated.