Bogor market renovation to start soon

BOGOR (JP): Reconstruction of the Kebon Kembang Market, which was gutted by a large fire in March last year, will begin next month and should be completed by January 1999, a private developer appointed to carry out the project said yesterday.

"The project will cost about Rp 44.5 billion (US$18 million)," PT Propindo Mulya Utama director for general affairs, Eric Wirawan Suganda, said. The cost was Rp 10.5 billion lower than the initial estimate proposed by the company in February.

Ten employees of a Ramayana department store were killed by the fire, which also gutted about 1,000 kiosks. Displaced traders have since set up makeshift stalls around the former market site, creating heavy traffic congestion in the area.

Two of five blocks of the original market required only a little renovation because they were not affected by the fire very much, Eric said. The other three blocks would be completely torn down and two new buildings would be built on the site, he said.

As part of a deal, Propindo will manage the market when it is completed, he said. "We have a management license for 30 years."

Meanwhile, the head of the Kebon Kembang market authority, Alamsyah, said previous vendors would be given preference to rent new market space once construction was completed.

The price of a new kiosk, set by the Bogor municipality, would start from Rp 1.12 million per square meter. (24/07)