Speaker
Description
The development of inter-regional megaprojects presents a complex governance challenge, particularly when such projects intersect with diverse political and institutional landscapes at the local level. This research examines the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) as a case study to explore how governance dynamics shape infrastructure-led development. As part of Indonesia’s National Strategic Projects and the Belt and Road Initiative, the HSR is expected to catalyze transit-oriented development (TOD) around key station areas—Halim, Karawang, Walini, and Tegalluar—generating substantial economic and social activity. However, the multi-scalar governance of these developments varies significantly due to the distinct capacities, institutional arrangements, and political will of the local governments involved.
Through a comparative analysis of station area developments, this study reveals how the capacity and willingness of local governments influence the implementation process, affecting land-use planning, investment flows, and coordination with central authorities. While some regions proactively integrate the railway into their development strategies, others face institutional fragmentation and speculative land accumulation, benefiting large-scale developers rather than broader local communities. In peri-urban areas such as Padalarang and Tegalluar, speculative urbanism is particularly pronounced, with pre-existing land ownership patterns shaping the distribution of development benefits. These dynamics underscore the uneven spatial consequences of infrastructure-led development, where governance asymmetries and market-driven urban expansion lead to fragmented and exclusionary growth patterns. Theoretically, this study contributes to debates on infrastructure-led development, fragmented urbanization, and suburban politics by demonstrating how megaprojects not only reshape urban-regional dynamics but also create contested spaces of governance. Through a comparative urbanism lens, the research highlights how differentiated local responses to a national-scale infrastructure project produce variegated development outcomes across station areas. The case of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR offers critical insights into the governance dilemmas of inter-regional megaprojects, particularly in emerging economies where state-led infrastructure initiatives intersect with market-driven urban transformations.
| Keywords | megaprojects, infrastructure-led development, fragmented urbanization, suburban politics |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
