Residents Uncover Another Side of Menteng: People Imagine Large Houses, But Actually...

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Menteng has long been known as one of the elite neighborhoods in Central Jakarta, famous for its large houses and well-organized streets.

However, that image doesn’t fully reflect the entire Menteng subdistrict.

Behind this prestigious area, there are still densely populated settlements with houses built closely together and narrow alleys.

Kompas.com’s investigation on Jalan Anyer and Jalan Menteng Jaya, Wednesday (9/16/2026), found several alleys measuring less than one meter wide.

These alleys are just wide enough for one person to pass through. In some spots, they are also used for parking motorcycles, storing goods, and as spaces for residents’ activities.

Residents’ homes stand tightly packed on both sides of the alleys. Many buildings still have old walls, corrugated metal roofs, and small porches.

Electric cables stretch between the houses, and parts of the settlement are located close to the railway tracks.

Achmad Amir, head of RW 09 Menteng, said that at least six RW units fall into what he considers dense areas: RW 01, RW 02, RW 03, RW 08, RW 09, and RW 10.

Specifically in the Jalan Anyer area, there are four RT units: RT 05, RT 08, RT 10, and RT 11.

“It has really been like this for a long time. With development, some outsiders also rent here. There are population increases due to renting, and some houses are sold and purchased by new residents,” Achmad said when contacted Wednesday (9/16/2026).

According to Achmad, the settlement has been inhabited by families for generations. He was born in the 1970s and has known the area as a residential neighborhood since childhood.

From stories he heard from the elders, the area has been occupied since before Indonesia’s independence.

It was once called Kebun Sayur (Vegetable Garden) because there were still empty plots and vegetable plants near the railway tracks.

“During the Japanese era, the land here was still empty. My father worked for the Japanese army in Cikini. Our parents then settled on these lands,” Achmad explained.

KOMPAS.com/LIDIA PRATAMA FEBRIAN Dense settlement on Jalan Anyer, Menteng, Central Jakarta, with houses packed tightly and narrow alleys, Wednesday (9/16/2026).

As family members grew, the houses in the area expanded. Some land was inherited by children, while other parcels were sold and occupied by new residents.