RRI.CO.ID, Medan - North Sumatra Governor, Bobby Nasution, has confirmed that permanent housing for disaster victims in the province will be inaugurated this week. The housing project was developed with the support of the international humanitarian organization, the Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation.

Governor Bobby announced that the inauguration is scheduled for later this week, with the goal of allowing displaced residents to move into their new homes immediately.

“The permanent housing built through the assistance of Buddha Tzu Chi will be inaugurated very soon, this week. If God willing, the ceremony will take place within the next few days,” said Bobby at the North Sumatra Governor's Office in Medan on Wednesday night, March 11, 2026.

He explained that the ceremony is expected to be led by the Chairperson of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sumatra, Tito Karnavian. The event is planned to take place in the South Tapanuli Regency.

In addition to the permanent structures, Bobby noted that the construction of temporary housing (Huntara) is ongoing. Several units are already occupied by residents who lost their homes in previous disasters.

According to him, the government has prepared more than 3,000 temporary housing units. Beyond physical housing, some residents are receiving "housing waiting funds" as an alternative support measure while they wait for permanent relocation.

“We have prepared over 3,000 units in the temporary housing sites. The total number of aid recipients actually exceeds 5,000, as it includes those living in Huntara and those receiving waiting funds,” he clarified.

Bobby added that residents already settled in temporary units are no longer eligible for the waiting funds, as the aid distribution process enters its phased completion.

Regarding broader recovery, he revealed that repairs to disaster-damaged infrastructure across North Sumatra remain temporary for now. The local administration is currently awaiting the finalization of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Master Plan (Renduk), which is targeted for completion by March 31, 2026.

The Master Plan is being formulated in collaboration with relevant ministries, including the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas). Once the plan is ratified, comprehensive physical construction and infrastructure repairs will be executed by both central and regional administrations.

“Once the Renduk is finalized, full-scale physical work on the ground will commence. This includes projects led by ministries and agencies, as well as those funded by the regional budget from funds transferred by the President,” concluded Governor Bobby. (Annaila Azzahra/Bambang MBKA)