Agency calls for more funds to improve roads

Agency calls for more funds to improve roads

JAKARTA (JP): A limited budget and the increase in the price
of construction materials due to the weakening of the rupiah
against the U.S. dollar has crippled the city's efforts to repair
the capital's streets, an official said.

The head of the City Public Works Agency, Fadly Khatib, told
councillors on Thursday his office did not deserve the blame for
the poorly maintained streets in Jakarta.

He said his agency proposed a budget of Rp 46 billion (US$6.13
billion) for the construction and repair of streets in the
1999/2000 fiscal year, but only received Rp 39 billion, or Rp 7
billion less than it had requested.

"This is the reason why the agency couldn't repair all the
streets properly. We have a scale of priority," Fadly told city
councillors in a hearing at the City Council.

During the meeting, Fadly asked the councillors to approve the
agency's budget proposal of "more than Rp 46 billion" for the
upcoming 2000 fiscal year, which lasts from April 1 to Dec. 31.

According to data from the agency, there are 6,400 kilometers
of streets in the city, or about 41 million square meters.

"An asphalt overlay three centimeters thick cost about Rp
8,000 per square meter in 1996. Since 1997, the price has doubled
to some Rp 16,000," Fadly said.

In the current fiscal year, the city administration allocated
around Rp 9.5 billion for street repairs, much lower than the Rp
10.3 billion allotted in the 1996/1997 fiscal year.

The agency has requested some Rp 11.8 billion in the 2000
fiscal year for street repairs.

In the city's draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the
administration has allocated some Rp 213 billion for the
maintenance of the city's public facilities and infrastructure,
including streets and pedestrian bridges.

Like many of the city's other agencies, the Public Works
Agency is quick to blame budget limitations and the crash of the
rupiah for its inability to accomplish its tasks .

Jakartans often complain about the potholes and generally poor
conditions of the streets, including major thoroughfares and toll
roads, in and around Jakarta.

Many of the streets also flood and become impassable during
the rainy season.

The poorly maintained streets in the capital include Jl. Gatot
Subroto, Jl. Daan Mogot, Jl. RE Martadinata, and Jl. Cakung
Cilincing.

During the meeting on Thursday, Fadly also disclosed the
agency's request for Rp 9 billion in the 2000 fiscal year to
acquire land along West Jakarta's Kamal and Tanjungan rivers,
which cross the Soedyatmo toll road.

The toll road, the main artery connecting Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport and Jakarta, was flooded last December
following heavy rains, forcing the cancellation of domestic and
international flights.

"With the money, we'll be able to widen both rivers and
prevent water from inundating the toll road," he said, adding
that the funds would also be used to construct a man-made lake
near the rivers.

"The 2,000-square-meter lake will retain water to prevent
flooding of the toll road," he said.

For the lake to be constructed, local residents would first
have to be relocated.

He said the Ministry of Settlement and Territorial Development
has agreed to provide Rp 3.5 billion to build apartments for
relocated residents.

Councilor FX Marsiadi of the Indonesian Military/National
Police faction suggested the agency make a list of its priorities
to overcome the problem of a limited budget and strictly control
the construction of roads.

"The agency must implement strict quality supervision of every
company working on road projects to ensure (the roads) meet all
the required technical specifications," he said. (nvn)