Bigger funds proposed for busway<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The city administration has proposed a larger allocation for the
\nbusway project from Rp 120.7 billion (US$14.20 million) to Rp
\n240.7 billion in the draft of the 2004 city budget, which was
\nsubmitted to the City Council on Monday.<\/p>\n
The total draft budget amounts to Rp 12.16 trillion, a 10.68
\npercent increase from this year's Rp 11.563 trillion.<\/p>\n
City Hall spokesman Muhayat said the additional Rp 120 billion
\nallocation would be used to purchase 50 more buses -- bringing
\nthe total fleet to 106 buses -- and build an underpass for the
\nbusway's vehicles to turn around in Kota, West Jakarta, and build
\nand equip a repair shop for the buses in Pinang Rante, East
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Transportation analysts have criticized the administration on
\nthe busway project, which adopts a similar transportation system
\nto that in Bogota, Colombia, saying that it would cause severe
\ntraffic jams along the busy main thoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman
\nand Jl. Thamrin where offices are located. The busway occupies
\none of the three lanes in the fast lane on each side of the
\nroads.<\/p>\n
The analysts also doubt that many private car owners will make
\nuse of the buses to reach their offices once it is implemented
\nbecause the busway has yet to be supported by feeder services
\nconnecting residential areas to busway shelters and terminals.<\/p>\n
Several delays in the project have also been criticized.<\/p>\n
The busway, initiated in 2001, was scheduled to be launched in
\nFebruary 2002. It was delayed to December 2002, and then further
\npostponed for another year until finally the administration
\ndecided to launch it early next year.<\/p>\n
However, Governor Sutiyoso said that people criticized the
\nbusway project because it was new for Jakartans.<\/p>\n
He is optimistic that people will finally accept the project
\nbecause it accommodates the interests of commuters.<\/p>\n
"The administration in Bogota also received such criticism,
\nbut now more corridors are demanded by Colombians as the busway
\nis successful there," he said.<\/p>\n
The administration has spent Rp 120.7 billion on 56 buses,
\nconstructing lane dividers, passenger bridges and bus shelters.<\/p>\n
The 56 buses, to be operated in January on the Blok M in South
\nJakarta to Kota route, are being assembled by an assembling
\ncompany in Magelang, Central Java.<\/p>\n
With the implementation of the busway, other bus operators
\nplaying the Blok M-Kota route have been given options by the
\nadministration to either join a consortium with the busway,
\noperate as feeders or stay clear of the routes in question
\naltogether. Buses plying the same route will be prohibited from
\nfollowing a parallel route to the busway's.<\/p>\n
The busway and the East Flood Canal project are two
\nsignificant infrastructure projects listed in the city budget.
\nExpenses for both projects reach Rp 1.292 trillion.<\/p>\n
The top priority of next year's budget is education and health
\nwith a proposed allotment of 29.69 percent of the total budget,
\nor Rp 3.61 trillion. The figure is higher than this year's budget
\nof Rp 2.88 trillion.<\/p>",
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