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)