Desy Nurhayati ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 09/09/2009 1:30 PM  |  City

The city administration is planning to adopt a bylaw next year that will allow the construction of public facilities under privately owned buildings around Jakarta.

Head of Spatial Planning Agency Wiriyatmoko said on Tuesday the administration was still formulating rules on the development of underground space in Jakarta, including drawing borders between public and private areas.

“We will set clear rules about how underground space should be split between private and public areas, but the development of underground space should focus on public facilities,” he said after a meeting at the City Hall to discuss the city’s spatial master plan.

He said the bylaw would define the maximum depth allowed for underground developments, which will vary between places around the city.

The use of underground space will also be incorporated in the city’s spatial master plan, which will effectively be implemented between 2010 to 2030, he added.

The administration is targeting to complete the draft before the end of this year, to propose it to the city council by early 2010.

In response to the draft bylaw that will order building owners to establish public facilities underground, Agus J. Alwie of PT Buana Sakti – the building manager for Sampoerna Strategic Square in Sudirman – said the administration should ensure the bylaw did not disrupt existing facilities.

“It will not be easy to overhaul the underground areas of premises that have been established for years,” he told The Jakarta Post.

“The administration should ensure that any development underground do not affect installations already there, such as water and electricity. This should be discussed properly with building managers to avoid any disruptions.”

The newly inaugurated Sampoerna Strategic Square happens to have an underground area around six to eight meters deep, consisting of parking lots, a number of re-tailers and service rooms for air conditioners.

Experts have also reminded the administration it should factor in the environmental impacts of underground development when drafting the bylaw, especially with regards to land subsidence.

The bylaw will also provide a legal framework for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project that will start next year, as it will include the construction of underground stations.

The MRT route will stretch from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta, connecting 12 stations, eight of them elevated on a 10.5-kilometer track, and four underground stations along a 4-kilometer track.

The preliminary MRT design plans indicate the elevated stations will be located in Lebak Bulus, Fatmawati, Cipete, Haji Nawi, Blok A, Blok M, Sisingamangaraja and Senayan.

The underground stations will be built in Bung Karno Sports Stadium, Bendungan Hilir, Setiabudi and Dukuh Atas.

“Based on our preliminary study, the underground stations will be 10 to 14 meters underground, while the elevated stations will be 16 to 18 meters above ground,” said Mangalagupta Sitorus, head of MRT corporate communications.

“But the exact height and depth have not been confirmed because we are still waiting for the Transportation Ministry’s basic design,” he told the Post.

He added the company would also study the impact of the construction on surrounding areas.

sumber: thejakartapost