Busway shelter construction still a work in progress

Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two workers rhythmically swing their hammers, smashing the concrete steps of the west stairway of the bridge in front of Bank Indonesia on Jl. MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta.

They need to demolish the stairs to make way for the west ramp, part of the busway's bus stop infrastructure. The east ramp, with a length of about 30 meters in total, already has frames and handrails but the aluminum floor has yet to be installed.

Workers were fixing the upper rail of the shelter's automatic door on Friday. Parts of the prefabricated aluminum walls were firmly attached to the iron frame.

The middle ramp was near completion with its silver paint glittering from its side bars and its 1.8-meter wide floor. However, it has no roof to protect busway users from the rain or the burning sun of Jakarta.

It was just 20 days away from the busway's inauguration date but none of the 11 bus stops along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin had been finished.

The busway stop infrastructure includes a shelter, a bridge, a middle ramp connecting the bridge to the shelter, and west and east ramps connecting the bridge to sidewalks.

Ramps are used instead of stairs at busway stops to make them more handicapped-friendly. However, people in wheelchairs will still need someone to push them up the ramp as the slope is too steep for them to maneuver by themselves.

Most of the shelters are already finished, although some still need painting. Much work still needs to be done on the side ramps, since many have only frames.

It is not as if the workers have not been working hard enough. They work not only during the daytime, but also in the cool of the night. "Sometimes we work until 3 a.m. in the morning," said one of them.

Atman, a laborer at the busway shelter in front of Sarinah on Jl. Thamrin, said a similar thing. "We have been working in such a rush that we had only one day off at Idul Fitri," he said. It will take several more days to finish the shelter, he added.

Elevators are planned for the busway stop there instead of side ramps. However, people will have to use the regular stairs for some time as the elevators will only be installed once a sponsor comes forth.

The controversial busway project will start operating on Jan. 15, even though many people have questioned its effectiveness in reducing congestion in the capital.

To guarantee the success of the Rp 117 billion (US$13.76 million) project, the city administration on Wednesday extended the three-in-one policy, going from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The administration also vows to rid the streets along the busway corridor of vendors and illegally parked cars to provide more space for motorists.

It is unclear if the administration will also banish beggars from the sidewalks and bridges.

Encin, 54, said as she was sitting on the bridge in front of Sarinah: "I'll just go beg somewhere else if they kick me out of here."

She is supporting four grandchildren, aged between two and 11 years, who were left with her by her divorced son.