Bus station development stalled<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
The construction of Poris Plawad integrated bus terminal in the
\nBatu Ceper district of Tangerang municipality has not yet begun
\ndue to funding problems, a municipality official said.<\/p>\n
Harry Mulya Zein, the deputy chief of Tangerang's development
\ncontrol agency, said on Wednesday that they had to delay the
\nproject because the central government had not yet approved the
\nbudget plan for the construction.<\/p>\n
The construction was planned to begin on April 1, 2002 and
\nwould be completed on Feb. 26, 2003.<\/p>\n
He said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had promised early in
\n1998 to provide Rp 13 billion (US$1.39 million), the central
\ngovernment Rp 11 billion and the Tangerang municipal
\nadministration Rp 1 billion for the development of the bus
\nterminal, which was estimated to cost between Rp 24 and Rp 25
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
However, due to the fact that the central government -- or
\nmore specifically the ministry of finance -- had not yet approved
\nthe assistance from the ADB, nor had it handed over the promised
\nRp 11 billion yet, so the project remains in limbo.<\/p>\n
\"To this point, we have not been given any indication as to
\nwhen the central government will hand over the money and give its
\napproval for the ADB funds to be disbursed. ADB will only
\ndisburse funds when the ministry of finance issues its approval
\nof the loan agreement,\" Harry told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The Poris Plawad integrated bus terminal, if completed, will
\nbecome the only bus terminal in Tangerang to serve intercity and
\ninterprovince transportation. Tangerang, despite its status as a
\nsatellite city in Greater Jakarta, has no such bus terminal,
\nfollowing the recent closure of Cikokol bus station which will be
\ntransformed into an urban park.<\/p>\n
The Poris Plawad terminal was designed with eight entrances to
\naccommodate 170 intercity buses, 100 city buses and 160 public
\nminivans.<\/p>\n
Harry added that their lack of funding had also caused them to
\npostpone the clearance of land for the bus terminal, which is set
\nto be developed on a seven-hectare site.<\/p>\n
Charles Andrews, a consultant and a Senior Urban Management
\nSpecialist with ADB's Social Sector Department in Southeast Asia,
\nexpressed his concern over the postponement of the terminal
\nconstruction.<\/p>\n
But he understood the reasons after several officials from the
\nmunicipality explained the problems related to the finance
\nministry.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bus-station-development-stalled-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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