Bekasi roads poorly lit despite huge subsidies

Bekasi roads poorly lit despite huge subsidies

BEKASI (JP): Bekasi residents are complaining that the area's
main roads are still poorly lit, despite reports of the state
electricity company PLN receiving Rp 3 billion in yearly
subsidies from private developers earmarked especially for street
lighting.

The majority of residents claim to have paid up their
electricity bills to the local PLN office but regardless, many of
the light posts installed on some main roads are not even turned
on in the evenings.

Several of the streets in question are Jl. Hasanudin, which
spans between the Tambun and Cibitung districts, and the portion
of Jl. Inspeksi Malang that stretches from Bekasi Timur to
Cibitung. Each is poorly lit at night, increasing the likelihood
of accidents and criminal activity.

Sources at PLN confirmed that it receives about Rp 3 billion
annually for street lighting and that only Rp 200 million is
given to the Bekasi Street Lighting Agency.

They said, however, that the remainder of the funds are given
to the Bekasi administration.

Of the Rp 3 billion, Rp 1.7 billion is raised from 15 big
developers in Bekasi. They include Metropolitan Mall, Perumnas
Bumi Bekasi Baru, Pondok Timur Indah housing complex, Pondok
Hijau Permai, Wisma ASRI, Taman Kartini, Antilope Maju, RSS PU
Narogong, Bulog housing complex, Macan Rusa housing complex, Bumi
Lestari, Alidatama Sukti BC, Pelangi Buana Utara, Propertindo and
Tywas Kes.

The developers are required under a 1987 Bekasi by-law to pay
Rp 1.5 million for each lamp post built in their area, and
together they have so far built 1,115 lamp posts. (12/emb)