Recent developments at the cliff-top outlook of Kelingking Beach elevator in Nusa Penida, Bali, have drawn official attention after concerns over planning and environmental compliance.
Provincial Governor Wayan Koster said his office has tasked the Special Committee on Spatial Planning, Assets and Licensing (Pansus TRAP) of the Bali Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) to examine permit documents and other relevant approvals in connection with the glass-elevator project.
“Don’t look at who the project is from. But from the perspective of the permit, one document is required, the second is spatial planning, that’s all. So I’ve assigned the special committee to go to the location to check the documents and other conditions,” Koster said in Denpasar on Thursday (October 30), as reported by CNN Indonesia.
According to preliminary investigations, a permit for the project was issued in 2024 via the Online Single Submission (OSS) system and approved by the Klungkung Regency Government. The project has an estimated cost of around Rp 200 billion.
Activism and Legal Challenge
Chairman of Pansus TRAP, I Made Supartha, warned that the elevator project, which is scheduled to stand approximately 180 metres tall from the clifftop to beach level, may be in conflict with the requirements of Law No. 26 of 2007 on Spatial Planning, which prohibits development in certain designated disaster-mitigation zones.
“According to Law Number 26 of 2007 concerning Spatial Planning, it is no longer permitted. Therefore, those who issue permits could face criminal penalties,” Supartha told Liputan6 on Wednesday (October 29).
The site is reportedly within a designated disaster-mitigation area. Supartha stated that the committee has formally requested from the Klungkung Regency Government the full set of documents: the permit, development concept, and the environmental impact assessment (Amdal).
Once the data is received, the committee plans to conduct on-site inspections, in cooperation with the Satpol PP Bali and other regional apparatus organisations (OPD). The inspection is scheduled for Friday (October 31).
Concerns from local residents and visiting tourists have been voiced online for more than a year. Commentary on forums references fears that the elevator will change the character of the site, currently known for the strenuous descent to the beach, and increase visitor pressure on fragile terrain.
Kelingking Beach Elevator: Timeline and Key Developments
- Late 2023: A groundbreaking ceremony was held,, and land-clearing reportedly commenced for the 182-metre glass elevator and ancillary viewing platforms.
- June 2024: Construction works officially began.
- 2024 (permit issuance): Reports indicate that the permit was processed via OSS and approved at the Regency level.
- October 29 2025: Pansus TRAP publicly requests documentation and signals potential legal implications for permit issuers.
- October 30 2025: Governor Koster announces special-committee review of the project documentation.
- October 31 2025: Scheduled on-site inspection by provincial DPRD committee and regional authorities.
At present, no public statement has confirmed whether the construction may be halted or modified pending the review.
The case is emblematic of broader tensions in Bali between infrastructure development aimed at boosting tourism access and preservation of natural landscapes and planning regulations.
