The city's best of stations, and its worst of stations<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The stench of urine welcomes commuters as they step off the
\nelectric train at Cikini station in Central Jakarta, an
\nunpleasant reminder that at least 50 street people call the
\nstation home.<\/p>\n
"Fixing the facilities is not our first priority," said Endang
\nSuryana, one of only three employees of state railway company PT
\nKAI working at the station.<\/p>\n
He told The Jakarta Post that of the about Rp 30 million
\n(US$3,334) in daily ticket sales at the station, none of the
\nmoney was used for maintenance or to beef up security. The
\nstation's employees, meanwhile, do not have the heart to run off
\nthe homeless people.<\/p>\n
"The main office gives us a monthly operational budget that is
\njust enough to pay the 27 contract employees," Endang said.<\/p>\n
Cigarette vendor Badrul, 32, who has been peddling his goods
\nat the station for five years, said that as long as homeless
\npeople were allowed to live in the station, there was no hope of
\nfixing up the place.<\/p>\n
"And they do not want to be moved," he said.<\/p>\n
Compared to Cikini station, the next stop on the line, Dukuh
\nAtas, now known as Sudirman station, also in Central Jakarta,
\ncomes up smelling of roses.<\/p>\n
"I can guarantee that there is no one living here anymore. No
\none is allowed to sleep in the station after 6 p.m.," station
\nmaster Octriwansyah said.<\/p>\n
He said the last family living in an out-of-order bathroom had
\nmoved to a nearby rental house in 2001 after he helped them open
\na small kiosk in the station.<\/p>\n
Tole, 16, who was born in the station, said most of the people
\nwho used to live in the station could now afford to rent rooms or
\nhouses nearby by selling fruit or newspapers in the station.<\/p>\n
Although the Sudirman station has as limited a budget as
\nCikini station, Octriwansyah has been able to involve the
\nsurrounding community, including many gang members and
\nprostitutes, in helping to maintain the station.<\/p>\n
"We simply asked them nicely to work together to improve the
\nimage of the station from that of an unsafe place into a friendly
\nplace," he said.<\/p>\n
The station, which saw more than 570,000 commuters pass
\nthrough the building in March, is free of graffiti thanks to the
\neffort of members of the community, who wash the station's walls
\non Fridays.<\/p>\n
To improve the atmosphere even more, old love songs are played
\nover the loudspeakers during the peak hours from 6 a.m. to 10
\na.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
And these efforts paid off, with more than Rp 570 million in
\nticket sales in March.<\/p>\n
"When I first started five years ago, the income was only Rp 9
\nmillion a month," Octriwansyah recalled.<\/p>\n
Even though most passengers feel Sudirman station provides
\nbetter service than the 44 other stations across Greater Jakarta,
\nthey still want more security officers at the station.<\/p>\n
"I always carry my PDA ... I always take extra care with my
\nbelongings because of pickpockets," said Antonius, a Serpong
\nresident who works at the Sudirman Central Business District.<\/p>\n
Octriwansyah said at least eight police officers were already
\nassigned to the station. He added that the "station needs six
\npeople to clean it regularly and also needs repairs to parts of
\nthe building. I have asked for an increase in the Rp 4 million
\nmonthly budget, but have yet to receive a response". (006)<\/p>",
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