Central Jakarta planning pavements
Central Jakarta planning pavements
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Having to dodge cars, three-wheeled taxis, motorcycles and carts
appearing from nowhere could soon be a thing of the past for
Central Jakarta residents, thanks to the municipality's plans to
develop more sidewalks on city roads next year.
"This is in line with the city administration's program to
improve public transportation with the ongoing development of the
busway project. We want people to feel it is more convenient
walking than driving in a car," Central Jakarta Mayor Muhayat
told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.
Muhayat said his municipality planned to construct sidewalks
from Pasar Baru to the National Monument (Monas) Park via the
Hotel Borobudur, from Roxy in West Jakarta to Monas, from
Kemayoran to Monas and from Pejompongan to Monas via Tanah Abang.
"Hopefully, more people, including tourists, will be able to
enjoy these wider sidewalks," Muhayat said, adding that the Monas
area was chosen because it was the central city's main landmark.
He did not mention the cost of the projects, saying only that
they would be developed in cooperation with the city public works
and parks agencies.
The City Parks Agency often uses the capital's few existing
sidewalks to plant small trees because of the limited space
available for green areas in the city. These leafy obstacles mean
pedestrians often have to walk on the road to avoid bumping into
them.
Jl. MH Thamrin, one of the city's prime business districts,
already has new sidewalks, worth an estimated Rp 10 billion
(about US$998,000).
The municipal administration has also recouped sidewalks on
Jl. Salemba Raya, Jl. Kramat Raya, Jl. Gunung Sahari and Jl.
Paseban.
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso's administration has launched an
array of beautification projects across the municipality that
hosts foreign embassies, governmental offices and the offices of
multinational companies.
The city administration has also built another attraction at
the Monas Park, a fountain with music and laser decorations that
cost Rp 26 billion.
It is also constructing a fountain with a new statue of
national hero Prince Diponegoro on Jl. P. Diponegoro in the plush
housing area of Menteng, which is scheduled for completion by the
end of this year.
The historical Persija soccer stadium in Menteng will also be
converted into a community park equipped with cafes, restaurants
and car parks. That project is estimated to cost Rp 55.5 billion.