Bus station development stalled

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The construction of Poris Plawad integrated bus terminal in the Batu Ceper district of Tangerang municipality has not yet begun due to funding problems, a municipality official said.

Harry Mulya Zein, the deputy chief of Tangerang's development control agency, said on Wednesday that they had to delay the project because the central government had not yet approved the budget plan for the construction.

The construction was planned to begin on April 1, 2002 and would be completed on Feb. 26, 2003.

He said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had promised early in 1998 to provide Rp 13 billion (US$1.39 million), the central government Rp 11 billion and the Tangerang municipal administration Rp 1 billion for the development of the bus terminal, which was estimated to cost between Rp 24 and Rp 25 billion.

However, due to the fact that the central government -- or more specifically the ministry of finance -- had not yet approved the assistance from the ADB, nor had it handed over the promised Rp 11 billion yet, so the project remains in limbo.

"To this point, we have not been given any indication as to when the central government will hand over the money and give its approval for the ADB funds to be disbursed. ADB will only disburse funds when the ministry of finance issues its approval of the loan agreement," Harry told The Jakarta Post.

The Poris Plawad integrated bus terminal, if completed, will become the only bus terminal in Tangerang to serve intercity and interprovince transportation. Tangerang, despite its status as a satellite city in Greater Jakarta, has no such bus terminal, following the recent closure of Cikokol bus station which will be transformed into an urban park.

The Poris Plawad terminal was designed with eight entrances to accommodate 170 intercity buses, 100 city buses and 160 public minivans.

Harry added that their lack of funding had also caused them to postpone the clearance of land for the bus terminal, which is set to be developed on a seven-hectare site.

Charles Andrews, a consultant and a Senior Urban Management Specialist with ADB's Social Sector Department in Southeast Asia, expressed his concern over the postponement of the terminal construction.

But he understood the reasons after several officials from the municipality explained the problems related to the finance ministry.