'Old City' vendors to be relocated<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The West Jakarta administration revealed a plan to relocate
\nhundreds of street vendors packing the narrow Jl. Pancoran in
\nKota to nearby traditional markets as part of a project to revive
\nthe old downtown area.<\/p>\n
\"We're still in discussion with city market operator PD Pasar
\nJaya about the relocation plan,\" Mayor Fajar A. Panjaitan told
\nThe Jakarta Post on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Fajar said his office had been assigned by the Jakarta
\nadministration to rearrange the congested area, which has heavy
\ntraffic, sanitation problems and the undisciplined street
\nvendors.<\/p>\n
Pasar Jaya president director Prabowo Soenirman added that the
\ncompany was setting up space to accommodate the vendors.<\/p>\n
\"But, first, we have to clarify the misperception among
\nvendors that they could simply get the space or kiosks for free,\"
\nPrabowo told the Post.<\/p>\n
He explained that the vendors would be given a grace period of
\nsix months \"after which they have to pay rental fees\".<\/p>\n
Both Fajar and Prabowo did not specify the number of vendors
\nto be relocated or when the plan would be carried out.<\/p>\n
The West Jakarta municipal administration has put the revival
\nof the old town area on its priority list this year. The project
\ncovers the conversion of Jl. Roa Malaka Utara into a night dining
\ncenter plus Jl. Kali Besar Timur and Jl. Kali Besar Barat which
\nare lined with shops and cafes.<\/p>\n
The municipal government has said that it was planning to
\nprohibit on-street parking, which is blamed for the chronic
\ntraffic congestion in the oldest commercial and business area in
\nthe city.<\/p>\n
Back in the 19th century during the Dutch administration, Kota
\nplayed an important role as the center of business, residences
\nand cultural activities. The area is currently notorious for its
\npoorly maintained antiquated buildings, traffic jams, recurrent
\nflooding, on-street parking problems, street vendors clogging the
\nroads and the heavily polluted river.<\/p>\n
Ella Ubaidi of the Batavia Advancement Committee said that the
\nrelocation of street vendors was among key efforts to restore the
\ntarnished image of the area.<\/p>\n
\"The presence of street vendors is often associated with
\ncongestion, a dirty environment and poor security, especially in
\nthe evenings. If these vendors were well-managed, I am sure that
\nthe area would be attractive to visitors,\" said the owner of a
\nheritage building which she converted into a boutique in the
\narea.<\/p>\n
Ella, along with a group of heritage enthusiasts, who call
\nthemselves Jakarta Old Town-Kotaku (JOK), have teamed up to
\nrevitalize the historical area by cleaning up mounds of garbage
\nin Kali Besar River.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/old-city-vendors-to-be-relocated-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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