Bobby Nasution's Promise To Organize Rivers Into Heritage Tours Is Constrained, Can't Be Realized This Year

Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution while walking along the Deli River (IST)

MEDAN - Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution's promise to organize rivers and heritage areas cannot be realized until 2022.

The reason is that the arrangement of the river and the Warenhuis building is not included in the assistance scheme that will be provided by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) in the next two years.

"In terms of rivers, the Ministry of PUPR RI will probably arrange them in 2023," said Head of the Medan Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Benny Iskandar, Friday, July 2.

Because of that, said Benny, it is possible that the Medan City Government will look for other sources of financing and one alternative is like a company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or a third party.

Assistance for river arrangement, said Benny, is still waiting for a design from the Sumatra River Basin Center (BWSS) II

"The river design is not final, because the ESP consultant who came to the Medan City Government some time ago has not finished. In fact, the Minister asked for the drawing to be completed in August, but so far there has been no progress," he said.

"With no pictures, of course, we cannot carry out other things such as the budget that will be offered for CSR," continued Benny.

Bobby Nasution, during the election campaign, promised to optimize relations with the central government.

This was conveyed by Bobby during a declaration of support for him by the Ustaz-ustaz Al-Washliyah group, last September 29, 2020.

"Personally, I would not be ashamed to knock on the minister's office, call the minister, in other words, for the people of Medan," he explained at the time.

Bobby Nasution Wants to Build Rivers into Heritage Tourism

In addition to revitalizing the Medan Old City area so that it becomes a culinary and heritage tourism, Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution also wants to make the river a heritage tourism. This is inseparable from the history of the establishment of the city of Medan which started from the confluence of the Deli and Babura rivers.

This desire arose after the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) through the Sumatra River Region Center (BWSS) II had approved the normalization of three rivers in Medan City, namely the Deli, Babura and Bedera rivers as an effort to minimize flooding in Medan City.

After the normalization of the three rivers, Bobby Nasution saw a big opportunity to make the river a tourist attraction that has heritage value. In addition, the capital of North Sumatra Province, based on history, was formed because of the confluence of the Deli and Babura rivers.

"We will develop the river as heritage tourism. Because heritage management is one of the main priority programs of the Medan City Government at this time. To develop this, of course we must collaborate with various parties, especially community groups who regularly hold activities on the river," said Bobby Nasution several times. last time.

Bobby Nasution's wish was confirmed by the Head of the Medan City Bappeda, Benny Iskandar. Benny said, the history of the river started from a small village that was formerly called Medan Putri, the result of the confluence of two rivers, namely the Deli and Babura rivers, right next to Wisma Benteng.

According to Benny, at the location where the two rivers meet, a heritage and contemporary park will be created. After that, continued Benny, moving to the Deli River area in the Kesawan area.

"Our existing image will be a pedestrian path on the edge and above the river. In addition, there will be a jogging area and a gathering of young people. This path will later unite Medan with Kesawan," said Benny.

In addition, Benny continued, other points are in accordance with what has been designed by the Medan City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). In that area, he explained, parks will be made along the riverbanks that can be used as a gathering place for young people, equipped with wifi and other communicative media.

"The emphasis is on heritage, that the river is the front of the city of Medan in accordance with the history of the birth of the city of Medan from the confluence of two rivers. This means that the existing buildings no longer have their backs to the river but face the river with Jalan SPeksi in it. Then, heritage points such as Kampung Medan Putri and Kesawan must be connected by pedestrian paths, so that people will later appreciate the history of the city of Medan," he explained.