Blok M vendors turn to be evicted

The South Jakarta Mayoralty plans to put over 2,000 sidewalk vendors along Jl. Melawai Raya in order.

Mayor Pardjoko said the action against the vendors is badly needed because their operations are obstructing traffic around the Blok M shopping area.

He said on Monday that a few month ago law enforcement officers had launched a similar operation and cleared 750 vendors from the site.

But despite the provision of another site to accommodate them, they returned to the previous place, he said, adding their return is happened mainly due to the fact the mayoralty's security officers cannot enforce supervision 24 hours a day.

The head of the mayoralty's economic affairs office, Abdul Gani, said that sidewalk vendors have become a complicated problem in the area.

Data at his office show there are 14,000 registered vendors and another 60,000 unregistered ones operating throughout the mayoralty. (22)