DENPASAR, OborDewata.com – The Denpasar City Government has officially announced the implementation of 10 strategic project packages aimed at boosting the quality of community spatial planning, healthcare services, and downtown aesthetics. These projects are divided between two main agencies: the Department of Education, Youth, and Sports managing 2 project packages, and the Department of Public Works and Spatial Planning handling 8 project packages.
Acting Head of the Denpasar City Public Works and Spatial Planning Department, Dr. Ir. I Gede Cipta Sudewa Atmaja, ST., MT., IPU, ASEAN Eng., stated that these projects reflect the Denpasar Mayor’s commitment to implementing the vision of “Creative Denpasar Based on Culture Towards a Progressive Denpasar,” particularly regarding poverty reduction and development based on local wisdom.
”The Denpasar City Government has finalized several tender and contract processes for infrastructure works, which are scheduled for completion by December 2026,” he said on Friday (July 10, 2026).
Addressing the overlapping of three regional functions, Cipta Sudewa explained that one of the main highlights is the revitalization of the downtown area. He highlighted the risk of environmental degradation caused by the convergence of three conflicting regional functions at one point (the Thamrin, Gajah Mada, and Jalan Veteran areas), alongside the government center (the Mayor’s Office and its surroundings), the commercial and service zone (Gajah Mada, Thamrin), and the traditional and cultural zone.
”Without proper management, this area will experience a decline in urban planning quality. Following the Mayor’s directives, pedestrian areas, planning layouts, street furniture, business signage, and building facades will be beautified, spanning from Simpang Suci, Hasanuddin, the Catur Muka Statue, to Jalan Thamrin,” Gede Cipta Sudewa explained.
This urban face-lifting project is planned to run across two fiscal years. In 2026, a portion of the budget is also being allocated in parallel to a business-based waste management program.
Regarding physical works on the ground, the Denpasar City Government is moving swiftly to anticipate potential recurring disasters, such as the major flooding that occurred in September 2020. On July 10, 2026, the Public Works and Spatial Planning Department gathered 39 shop-house owners on Jalan Sulawesi, whose properties directly border the Badung River.
Gede Cipta Sudewa revealed that the shop owners agreed and fully supported the construction of a Retaining Wall, which will be built by the winning contractor, PT Pandu Jaya Karya. Regarding the demolition of private property sections that protrude over the river, the mechanism will be carried out independently by the community following a survey by the contractor, given that the government cannot allocate the regional budget for private land.
Although most residents agreed, Cipta Sudewa admitted there are still a few spots requiring special, persuasive handling. The management of Toko Kohinoor has declared its readiness to demolish an attached toilet structure that encroaches on the riverbank to support a safe setback of 1.5 to 3 meters from the river boundary.
Meanwhile, handling for Hotel Raya remains dynamic and has not yet reached a full consensus. Visual inspections on the ground show the hotel building encroaching about 1 meter into the river boundary. The heirs claim the building stands on private property, presenting an old building permit as proof, though the document lacks clear attached blueprints. “The Public Works and Spatial Planning Department is currently collaborating with the Denpasar National Land Agency to legally investigate three land parcels at the location,” he said.
Closing his statement, Gede Cipta Sudewa highlighted the Denpasar Mayor’s projection regarding shifting trends in the downtown area, such as the Gajah Mada zone, which is now transitioning from conventional hardware and textile stores into a culinary and coffee shop hub.
”Through the lens of future urban planning, downtown Denpasar is projected to purely become the hallmark of the city’s image, economic activities, and a tourism destination. Meanwhile, residential areas are predicted to continue expanding horizontally toward the city borders,” he concluded. tra/mei
