City preparing rule on congestion pricing scheme

City preparing rule on congestion pricing scheme

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration is still waiting for
news from the Ministry of Transportation on the construction of
an integrated public transportation terminal in Manggarai, South
Jakarta.

Budihardjo Sukmanto, the head of the City Development Planning
Board, said yesterday that the ministry has said nothing about
the terminal or the consortium of private companies that is
expected to build it.

"We have not received word on the proposals. Maybe they are
still being reviewed by the ministries of transportation and
public works," Budihardjo said.

News of the integrated terminal was first made public in June
1995 after Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto and
executives from the consortium presented their proposal to
President Soeharto. President Soeharto instructed related
ministries to help speed up the processing of licenses for the
construction of the terminal.

Dhanutirto said last year's presentation was also attended by
Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar, Minister of Investment
Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo, State Minister of National Development
Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister/State Secretary
Moerdiono and Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja.

The consortium consists of seven companies: PT Bandar Mardi
Perkasa, PT Cahaya Cipta Adicemerlang, PT Citra Agratama Persada,
PT Mitraguna Tribhakti, PT Pembangunan Jaya, PT, Sekar Artha
Sentosa and PT Suhamthabie Utama. Mrs. Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana is
chairwoman of the consortium.

The US$285-million integrated terminal is expected to cover
126 hectares of land, 72 hectares of which belong to the state-
owned railway company, Perumka. The remaining 54 hectares belong
to local residents, who face possible eviction.

The massive terminal will consist of a railway station with
22 railway tracks, four underground express railway tracks, an
intercity bus terminal capable of handling 3,600 buses per day, a
city bus terminal with a capacity for 5,760 buses per day, a taxi
terminal and several hotels. The project was originally scheduled
for completion in 2006.

Congestion

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor for Economy and Development Tb. M.
Rais said yesterday that the administration will go ahead with
its congestion pricing plan that will charge motorists a fee to
enter certain sectors of the city.

"The administration has decided to implement the system next
year. We are still working on the regulation before passing it on
to the City Council, where it should be approved and become a
provincial decree," he said.

He said the plan should reduce congestion on certain roads in
Jakarta, thus making the city safer for motorists and
pedestrians.

"Larger sidewalks may be constructed and illegal parking on
the sides of roads will gradually be eliminated," he said.

Pedestrians in Jakarta face a regular struggle to reach their
shopping destinations because parked cars are usually packed
along the roads in front of shops, whose sidewalks are usually
occupied by roadside vendors.

Pasar Baru, Senen, Jl. Sabang in Central Jakarta, and Jl.
Hayam Wuruk and Jl. Gajah Mada in Central and West Jakarta are
just a few of the city's trouble spots. (yns)