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)