Authorities set deadline for warehouse relocation

Authorities set deadline for warehouse relocation

JAKARTA (JP): The city authorities have given businesses until
the end of November to relocate their warehouses from the
downtown Kota area, after nearly eleven years of frustration and
resistance.

Head of the West Jakarta Security and Order office, Karsidin,
said that by November 30 all warehouse activities in downtown
Kota must be moved to Kapuk and Pluit in West Jakarta, Ciracas in
East Jakarta and Sunter in North Jakarta, where new spaces have
been provided by the city.

Yesterday's mayoralty decision came as a surprise for many
doubting the administration's intention to implement its own
decision, which was originally made in 1984.

Slight progress was made when several warehouses in Kota were
closed three years ago. Another 55 were closed last month as part
of the West Jakarta mayoralty's plan to convert the area into a
tourist zone.

The administration plans to build more discotheques, theaters
and restaurants in the area, in addition to preserving the
maritime, wayang (leather puppet) and Jakarta History museums.

Some 50 warehouse owners are still operating in the area
despite the government's appeals. The warehouses are located on
Jl. Kunir, Jl. Kali Besar Barat, Jl. Kali Besar Timur, Jl. Roa
Malaka, Jl. Pangeran Jayakarta and Jl. Mangga Dua.

Apart from the financial constraints facing the mayoralty,
Karsidin said the relocation program was being hindered by
warehouse owners too stubborn to move.

Many continue to transport goods from their warehouses at
night, playing a sort of hide and seek with security and order
officers, he said. "They say the buildings are being used as
houses instead of storehouses."

Some of warehouse owners, he added, have tried to bribe
mayoralty officials not to close their warehouses. "They even use
strongmen to protect the warehouses from being closed down."

"Regardless, we will go on closing the warehouses," Karsidin
said.

He called on the warehouse owners to cooperate with the city
plan and use their buildings for businesses relating to tourism.
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