Padang Accelerates Permanent Housing Construction for Disaster Victims

The city of Padang in Indonesia is making rapid progress on the construction of permanent housing for residents displaced by natural disasters. Located in the Bumi Perkemahan Pramuka area, the housing project is transforming the former campsite into a residential zone for those who have been living in temporary shelters.

Officials, including the Coordinator of the National Posko National PRR Media Kastorius Sinaga and Secretary of the Directorate General of Regional Financial Management at the Ministry of Home Affairs Horas Maurits Panjaitan, recently inspected the construction site. They were accompanied by local officials from Padang, including the Regional Secretary Raju Minropa and heads of various departments.

The Balai Gadang area is a primary location for the huntap project, with 340 out of the total 523 required units being built there. An additional 42 units are under construction in the Sungkai area, with the remaining units to be built on land acquired by the city government. Each unit is a type 36 house, measuring 6x6 meters, and includes two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, with additional space in the yard for gardening.

The construction is proceeding in phases. The first phase, comprising 39 units, is scheduled for completion by the end of July 2026. The second phase, with 42 units, is currently under construction. Padang's Regional Secretary Raju Minropa stated that the city aims to complete all physical construction by the end of the year, with the goal of relocating all residents from temporary housing to the new permanent homes by early 2027.

The project is also incorporating local resources, with the Yayasan Buddha Tzu Chi Indonesia collaborating on the construction. They are utilizing Sepablock, a local interlocking brick material produced by PT Semen Padang. This material was chosen for its interlocking system, which enhances construction efficiency and results in more disaster-resilient homes.

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Our target is by the end of the year. If possible, by early next year, all residents still in temporary housing will have been relocated here.