Arrogant contractor criticized

Arrogant contractor criticized

JAKARTA (JP): A high ranking official said yesterday that a
contractor, which was reportedly damaging the area surrounding
the Grogol-Pluit toll road in West Jakarta, would only clean up
its act if warned by the central government.

"Usually they are not afraid of city officials," Prawoto S.
Danoemihardjo said yesterday.

Prawato, a city official in charge of development
administration, was responding to continued complaints by
residents living near the Grogol-Pluit toll road construction
project. Despite repeated warnings from city officials, the
contractor's actions were still upsetting residents.

"Besides, the project is under the Ministry (of Public
Works)," he said. Therefore warnings would be more effective if
they came from the Bina Marga (road development) Directorate
General of the Ministry of Public Works.

In a recent visit to the site, Minister of Public Works
Radinal Moochtar expressed his disappointment with the company,
saying the traffic chaos around the construction site could be
avoided.

The contractor is the South Korean Kuk Dong company. Its
management has apologized to residents for the inconvenience, but
residents of Jelambar in Grogol Petamburan still complain of
damaged and inundated roads.

The contractor has repeatedly been reprimanded by the city's
public works agency, the Kompas daily reported on Friday.

The head of the agency, Soeharto, said the installment of
piers along the Grogol river to support the constructed flyover
have caused the river to narrow, causing flooding.

Soeharto was also quoted as saying that the construction work
has increased the amount of dirt on Jl. Latumeten, which leads to
the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Residents have also written to the contractor saying that 300
homes are overwhelmed with sewerage because the water pipes above
the Grogol river have been closed.

Prawoto said there are various regulatory penalties which
cover damage caused by construction work. These include fines and
exclusion from further projects. (anr)