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decision came as a surprise for many doubting the administration's intention to implement its own decision, which was originally made in 1984.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. (29)