Every Governor over the last two decades has promised to clean up Kota Tua, the historical town of Jakarta, where Batavia was born. The new mayor Joko Widodo made the same promise. Has he more chances to succeed this time?
JAKARTA – Batavia is the cradle of Jakarta metropolis with an amazing number of old building from the Dutch colonial times, some being 300 years old. The Jakarta Heritage Trust lists some 180 buildings being worth preserving due to their historical value. But what was once known as the “Queen City of the East” looks now like a half abandoned district with a canal of foul waters, collapsing buildings and piles of garbage all around the old district. A missed opportunity for a city which attracts every year some 2.5 million international travellers and could turn the old town into a major attraction.
First attemps to restore Kota Tua date back from the early seventies when museums were built. Every governor since tried his share to bring back Batavia’s glory days. Unfortunately with no success!
Despite renovations conducted by former Governor Fauzi Bowo, the old town is anything except a glamorous tourist destination. New street lighting, a half-pedestrian area and special monuments lighting at night failed to give back the old world charm of the former Batavia.
Many of the heritage buildings are in a critical state of disrepair, some sprouting treetops “crown” their broken roofs, as private owners did not want to invest money for repair. For many years, Batavia (Kota Tua) has been marked as a tourist area. And it is indeed the most interesting place to visit for anyone fascinated with historical heritage.
Last week, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo announced a new master plan to transform the area into a cultural tourism center. His administration pledged Rp 150 billion ($15.5 million) in 2014 to implement the changes. The Dutch government has also expressed its support of the new plan.
During a recent visit, Nertherlands Minister of foreign affairs Frans Timmermans declared to “help the city to use the cultural heritage as an economic bonus, to [teach] how to manage it and how to draw people to come and see Jakarta’s cultural heritage, and how to develop it”. The Dutch government still has the data and the architectural map of the historic colonial-era district that would make revitalization efforts easier.
“We are ready to spend a budget of Rp 150 billion to fix this area and make it better. If that is not enough, I will add to the budget,” said Basuki Purnama Tjahaja, Joko’s deputy.
The Jakarta Globe reported that the plan looks at establishing a creative public zone, with spaces provided for creative industries such as fashion, food and handicrafts to flourish. At the same time, the pair aims to give the neighborhood a more exclusive feel, by attracting investment from high-end hotels, restaurants and galleries.
Serious action will be taken to clean up properly the area, improve security and order to curb its seedy reputation. According to Deputy Governor Basuki to the Jakarta Globe, “Kota Tua is too valuable. If it is left to waste away, there will be no community to look after it. Even business owners won’t want to invest there because it’s too dirty.”
For 2013, the city administration first target is to clean all the garbage and waste left by food vendors on Fatahillah Square, where hordes of youngsters gather every week end for fun.
Vendors will now be only allowed in four designated areas. A first area will be dedicated to cooked food, in front of the old post office building. A second cluster will be parked at the other end of the square, near the popular Cafe Batavia, and will be reserved for non food items. Snacks will make up another cluster, while pre-made food and drinks will be sold near the canal.
Plans are also on the way to improve the condition of Kali Besar, the canal that runs through Kota Tua. The area would be beautified with more greenery, gardens, bike lanes and extra lighting. Will it be then Batavia’s new dawn?
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
