Jakarta aims to restore crumbling old town to former colonial glory
Colonial area of capital, crumbling after decades of neglect, is set to undergo major regeneration
Once-resplendent facades sagging in the tropical heat and empty shells of colonial-era buildings are depressing signs that the old town of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, once considered the "Jewel of Asia", has suffered decades of neglect.
Palm trees grow through crumbling windows in what was once the centre of power for Indonesia's Dutch colonial rulers, and many buildings that are still intact lie empty, stained grey by fumes from passing traffic.
But Jakarta's popular governor, Joko Widodo, has a new plan to overhaul the old town and attract more tourists.
"It has to be done, otherwise it is going to deteriorate," said Indonesian writer Goenawan Mohamad, a member of the group set up to regenerate the old town. "It's about time."
The old town, in modern-day north Jakarta, was once a global maritime trading centre. With its whitewashed buildings and cobbled streets, the area for centuries made up almost the whole of Jakarta, then known as Batavia.
Jakarta has expanded into a bustling city with a population of some 10 million, and the old town has fallen into disrepair.