A change in focus of city development urged

A change in focus of city development urged

JAKARTA (JP): The deputy head of the Land Transportation
Agency, Dimmy Kirbrandiman, suggested on Friday the next
administration consider developing the capital around railway
stations.

Dimmy said building the city around railway stations would
make maximum use of trains and help ease traffic congestion.

"Today, office complexes and apartments pack the city's main
roads and thoroughfares. The administration has always been
oriented toward the city's main roads," Dimmy said at City Hall.

Dimmy said the result of this was vacant railway stations and
congested toll roads.

"If the administration continues building along the central
roads, thoroughfares like Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin will never
be clear of traffic. It's also impossible for the administration
to keep on extending the roads in the capital."

Dimmy cited the example of Pesing railway station in West
Jakarta, which is some 200 meters from the bustling business
district of Daan Mogot.

"That station is not surrounded by any activity... it's like
a village. The station, therefore, is useless."

Another railway station which is underutilized is the Pondok
Jati station in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, according to Dimmy.

"Pondok Jati is surrounded by slums. A low-cost apartment
block in the area, like the Tanah Abang apartments in Central
Jakarta, would help local residents with their transportation,"
Dimmy said.

According to data from the State Railway Company, there are 90
stations in Greater Jakarta, of which at least 75 are constantly
active.

Some of the busier stations are Kota in West Jakarta; Cikini
and Gambir in Central Jakarta; and Lenteng Agung, Pasar Minggu,
Tebet and Manggarai in South Jakarta.

Dimmy said that to base development on the location of railway
stations, the administration should promote the construction of
office complexes in areas like Sawah Besar in Central Jakarta and
Mangga Dua and Mangga Besar in West Jakarta.

"People would then use the Kota station more often," he said.
(ylt)