Yogyakarta's Official Travel Budget Redirected to Pedestrian Projects
The Yogyakarta City Government will redirect the official travel budget to various programmes deemed more beneficial for the community and urban planning. Yogyakarta Mayor Hasto Wardoyo stated that this decision follows instructions from Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, emphasising the importance of efficiency in regional spending across Indonesia.
Hasto explained that, referring to Circular Letter Number 800.1.5/3349/SJ on the Transformation of Civil Servant Work Culture, regional heads are required to make significant savings in the official mobility sector.
“In those instructions, regional heads are asked to reduce domestic travel by up to 50 percent and overseas travel by up to 70 percent,” Hasto revealed on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.
Hasto said the savings achieved from this will be absorbed into two major groups: non-infrastructure and infrastructure sectors.
In the non-infrastructure group, Hasto stated that one allocation will be for events strengthening the tourism sector that were previously cancelled. Such as the major event Wayang Jogja Night Carnival (WJNC), which was absent from the 2025 tourism agenda.
In addition, cultural and community economy events like Jogja Great Sale, Ruwahan Agung, Festival Hadroh, and Sarkem Fest will also be revived through the redirection of the official travel budget.
Hasto assessed that these tourism sector agendas have a dual impact on residents. “These events are not only tourist attractions but also open business opportunities for the community, especially UMKM actors,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the infrastructure sector, Yogyakarta City’s primary priority will be directed towards urban area planning with a special focus on the southern Yogyakarta region to support pedestrian comfort.
Projects that will soon be implemented include sidewalk revitalisation from the Giwangan area to XT Square, as well as the covering of water channels on Jalan Pramuka. In addition, planning will also target Jalan DI Panjaitan through the construction of parks and sidewalks, as well as road widening from Jalan Ipda Tut Harsono to the APMD four-way intersection.
The Kotabaru Heritage area will not be overlooked due to the many damaged pedestrian facilities there.
“Sidewalk revitalisation will also target the Kotabaru area, given that many sidewalks in that region are already damaged,” he said.
In addition to road repairs, the government plans to improve the quality of Green Open Spaces (RTH) by building a new traffic park at Balai Benih Ikan Yogyakarta, Jalan Nitikan Baru, Sorosutan, as a replacement for similar facilities at Giwangan Main Terminal.
Green paths will also be built along Jalan Diponegoro to the Jatikecana three-way intersection to beautify the city’s face.
Not only that, public sports facilities such as Sidokabul Field, Tegalrejo Field in front of SMAN 4 Yogyakarta, Mancasan Field, and Minggiran Field will be revamped with a multi-functional concept similar to Karang Kotagede Field.
Yogyakarta City DPRD Chairman F.X. Wisnu Sabdono Putro said the redirection of official travel funds is important for broader interests. “So the official travel budget is truly allocated for the residents’ interests,” Wisnu said.