More delays in busway start-up looming<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The question whether the launch of the city's controversial
\nbusway project will be delayed surfaced yet again when head of
\nthe Jakarta Transportation Agency, Rustam Effendi, contradicted a
\nrecent statement by Governor Sutiyoso, saying that the project
\nwould definitely start operating according to plan on Jan. 15.<\/p>\n
\"For the time being, only a force majeur such as a major flood
\nin the city could delay it,\" Rustam said on Friday after opening
\nthe week-long training for 116 busway drivers at the National
\nPolice Traffic Training Center in Serpong, Tangerang.<\/p>\n
His statement contradicted Sutiyoso's, who had said on
\nThursday, that the project might be delayed again if important
\ninfrastructure and major issues concerning the project were not
\nresolved by Jan. 15.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso made his statement during a ceremony attended by
\n2,098 personnel of the busway task force at the National Monument
\n(Monas) Park in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The city's busway project has been postponed four times.
\nInitially slated to begin in October 2002 it was postponed until
\nDecember 2002, then December 2003 and finally Jan. 15.<\/p>\n
Some infrastructure for the busway like the 23 shelters are
\nbeing rushed although the city administration claimed on Dec. 18
\nthat they were finished already. Several ramps connecting the
\npedestrian bridges with the shelters are still being built.<\/p>\n
PT Jakarta Express Trans (JET) -- a consortium of five
\ntransportation companies Ratax, Bianglala, PPD, Steady Safe and
\nPahala Kencana, which will manage the project -- was officially
\nestablished only on Thursday, a week before the project is
\nscheduled to kick off.<\/p>\n
\"We will immediately start drafting management policies of the
\nconsortium and operational procedures for the project, including
\nthe contract and remuneration of the drivers,\" the consortium's
\nnewly appointed president director Bubung Burhana said on Friday.<\/p>\n
The city administration will recruit 1,288 new personnel for
\nits public order agency as some 500 officers have been assigned
\nto support the busway joint task force.<\/p>\n
\"We need to replace our personnel to ensure that our programs
\nthis year won't be affected by a shortage of personnel,\" said the
\nagency deputy head Harianto Bajuri.<\/p>\n
Harianto did not reveal when the recruitment would be carried
\nout but only said that it would be conducted \"this year.\"<\/p>\n
The agency has a total of 3,058 personnel.<\/p>\n
Harianto said that the agency would still pay the officer's
\nmonthly salary of Rp 750,000 (US$88). The agency will also pay
\ntheir meal allowance.<\/p>\n
\"We will also pay their insurance coverage, an insurance
\npremium of about Rp 70,000 per month for each of them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Later this year, the officers will be transferred to the
\nJakarta Transportation Agency, he added.<\/p>\n
When asked if the massive recruitment for the agency was
\nlinked to the administration's eviction program, Harianto refused
\nto comment.<\/p>\n
\"You should address that question to the mayors,\" he said,
\nadding that the mayors have the say on the evictions while his
\nagency only supports the program.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-delays-in-busway-start-up-looming-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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