Senayan vendors uncertain over relocation<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Uncertainty still looms over hundreds of street vendors who used
\nto do business in the east parking lot of Bung Karno Sports
\nComplex in Senayan, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Kicked out of the parking area before Idul Fitri, many have
\nreturned to their hometowns and the rest have moved to the
\nstreets and sidewalks in front of the sports complex's west plaza
\nand opposite nearby Hotel Atlet Century Park.<\/p>\n
A vendor in front of the west plaza told The Jakarta Post on
\nTuesday that on Nov. 15, he received a letter from the sports
\ncomplex management saying vendors could no longer use the parking
\nlot as their business ground and that they would be relocated to
\nan area within the complex.<\/p>\n
"The letter didn't specify when or where, though," he said.<\/p>\n
The sports complex management's director of infrastructure,
\nMahdar, said that inside the sports complex, four areas -- parts
\nof the east and south parking lots and areas in front of the
\nJakarta Convention Center (JCC) and near the beach volleyball
\ncourt -- were being prepared to accommodate some 300 vendors.<\/p>\n
"They will be ready by January or February 2004," said Mahdar,
\nand for the time being, no vendors were allowed to operate.<\/p>\n
More than 1,000 vendors used to operate in the complex,
\nselling food, drinks, music or video compact discs, clothes,
\nshoes and other goods.<\/p>\n
"Only the ones selling food and drinks can stay," Mahdar said.<\/p>\n
The rest were viewed as having greater capacities to move, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The majority of vendors used to occupy the 80,000-square-meter
\neast parking lot, which is now being converted into an urban
\nforest. The Rp 20 billion (US$2.35 million) project involves
\nplanting about 500 trees and excavating 80 artesian wells.<\/p>\n
Areas designated for vendors will be divided into nine-square-
\nmeter numbered lots, and only registered vendors can operate
\nthere.<\/p>\n
"They don't have to pay rent," said Mahdar. A small sanitation
\nfee would be charged for maintenance and upkeep of the vendor
\nlots.<\/p>\n
The word on the street, however, says otherwise.<\/p>\n
"Only well-to-do vendors will be able to pay and stay. Poor
\nones, like us, will have to go," said one food vendor who used to
\npay a Rp 5,000 daily sanitation fee at the east parking lot.<\/p>\n
Predicted to be finished by April 2004, the lot's regreening
\nproject is going on schedule and is 20 percent complete. Drainage
\npipes were being installed on Tuesday when the Post visited the
\nsite.<\/p>\n
No significant development could be seen in the areas reserved
\nfor vendors, however -- only paving blocks piled up in the south
\nparking lot, while the area in front of the JCC was still full of
\nparked motorcycles.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/senayan-vendors-uncertain-over-relocation-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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