TULUNGAGUNG – A planned public school project in Tulungagung has prompted land boundary reviews after officials found that part of the proposed site overlaps with areas near residential property in Ringinpitu Village, East Java.
Local authorities recently informed the Ringinpitu village administration about the upcoming public school development. The project site sits near residential areas, prompting officials to prepare a new land survey before construction begins.
Setyo Winarko, Head of Financial Affairs at Ringinpitu Village, said representatives from the Tulungagung Social Affairs Office visited the village office to discuss the project and explain its initial plans.
“The social affairs office came to the village office to notify us because the Sekolah Rakyat project will directly affect local residents,” Setyo said on Wednesday.
The government plans to build the school complex on land located north and east of the Ringinpitu low-cost apartment building. Tulungagung Regency owns the land, which previously belonged to Jepun urban village assets.
Setyo said the village administration does not manage the technical side of the project because the Social Affairs Office handles the entire development process. However, village officials identified one section of land that borders homes and residential property.
That condition pushed authorities to prepare another land measurement process. Officials want to confirm the exact boundary lines between government land and areas occupied by residents.
“We need another measurement to determine the official land markers,” Setyo explained.
Village officials also plan to invite affected residents to a future meeting. During the session, authorities will explain the land boundaries and clarify which areas belong to the regency government and which belong to residents.
The village administration will also help officials communicate with residents during the process. Local leaders hope the discussions can prevent future disputes and reduce tension among people living near the project site.
Setyo added that residents currently occupy part of the land under a titisara system, which refers to village-owned communal assets.
The Tulungagung administration still waits for approval from the Brantas River Basin Agency before starting construction. Officials need the permit because the planned school site stands near a river area and includes access through a bridge.
Acting Tulungagung Regent Ahmad Baharudin previously said the government targets October 2026 for the start of physical construction. Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works will fund the project through the central government budget.
The Indonesian Social Affairs Minister also plans to visit Tulungagung in August to inspect the proposed Sekolah Rakyat development site.