Shanties to be wrecked for railway track

JAKARTA: Around 600 shanties built alongside the railway track in Kebon Melati and Kebon Kacang subdistricts, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, will be demolished after the second phase of the presidential election on Sept. 20, to make way for expansions of a railway track by state railway company PT KAI.

Tihang Helmi, Tanah Abang district chief, told on the city administration's official website www.beritajakarta.com on Saturday, that the eviction of squatters had been planned since last year.

"The land will be used to expand another track plying Tanah Abang-Manggarai route," he said. "We have told the squatters about the plan but have yet to issue letters of notification."

Previously, Central Jakarta Mayor Hosea Petra Lumbun said the squatters had to be evicted since they have lived in the area illegally. "Even if PT KAI doesn't ask the municipality administration to evict them, we will still do it because they live on state property," he said.

Tihang said that each family will be given Rp 500,000 (US$53.82) as compensation. -- JP