City responsible for street vendors

City responsible for street vendors

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Street vendors in the capital have long been blamed for causing
traffic congestion, with many of them cramming the sidewalks and
encroaching onto the road.

But non-governmental organization Jakarta Residents Forum
(Fakta) says Jakarta Administration, not the vendors, is to blame
for failing to accommodate these businesses.

"In fact, the administration could have managed the street
vendors at a minimum cost by setting up regulations and letting
the (vendors) manage the business by themselves," Fakta head Azas
Tigor Nainggolan said on Saturday.

Tigor said street vendors, who started their business with
their own money, could be required to trade in an orderly fashion
and to create a clean environment around their stalls.

He pointed to street vendors at Jembatan Besi in West Jakarta
and Rawamangun and Jatinegara in East Jakarta, who were complying
with local bylaws to keep their areas clean and well-ordered.

"They have agreed with the municipality's policy to run their
business within suggested hours in order to ease crowds,
especially during peak hours," he said.

According to Tigor, such efforts were more effective and
efficient than the administration's policy of evicting and
relocating vendors.

That policy has often failed as vendors usually refused to
move to the new, less-lucrative, locations. The vendors'
rejection of the policy sometimes ends in violent clashes between
them and city public order officers.

Jakarta Cooperatives and Small-Medium Enterprises Agency head
Samsul Hilaltaha said earlier the administration could not
accommodate the growing number of street vendors in the city due
to the limited space available.

The agency was already facing financial constraints in
providing land for around 147,000 registered street vendors. The
constant increases in the taxable value of property was not
helping, Samsul said.

He said the agency had bought a total of 103,038 square meters
of land in 22 locations across the city to accommodate street
vendors between 1987 and 2003.

The locations, however, could only accommodate 6,609
registered vendors as recorded in a 2002 survey.

The administration has to issue a gubernatorial decree every
year to regulate 320 places across the city as spaces for a total
of 14,243 unregistered vendors.

"Unfortunately, the growing number of locations has still
failed to accommodate the ever-increasing number of street
vendors," Samsul said.

22 locations for street vendors

Central Jakarta

Locations Width

1. Jl. Pulo Gundul, Tanah Tinggi 1,030 sqm

2. Jl. Abdulgani, Galur 2,835 sqm

3. Jl. Palmerah Barat, Palmerah 5,367 sqm

4. Jl. Cempaka Sari 2,427 sqm

South Jakarta

1. Jl. Muria Raya, Menteng Atas 5,960 sqm

2. Jl. Bintaro Permai, Pesanggrahan 4,772 sqm

3. Jl. Terminal Baru, Pasar Minggu 8,000 sqm

East Jakarta

1. Jl. Raya Bogor, Kramatjati 2,461 sqm

2. Jl. Nusa I, Kramatjati 3,296 sqm

3. Jl. Kerja Bhakti, Makasar 4,398 sqm

4. Jl. Swadaya II, Rawa Terate 2,850 sqm

5. Jl. Raya Bogor, Susukan, Ciracas 2,249 sqm

6. Jl. Raya Hankam, Munjul, Cipayung 9,120 sqm

7. Jl. Raya Bogor, Kramatjati 2,200 sqm

West Jakarta

1. Jl. Bangun Nusa II, Cengkareng 2,500 sqm

2. Jl. Lingkungan III, Tegal Alur 3,000 sqm

3. Jl. Meruya Utara, Meruya Ilir 4,143 sqm

4. Jl. Outer Ring Road, Rawa Buaya 16,864 sqm

North Jakarta

1. Jl. Lorong 103, Koja 2,910 sqm

2. Jl. Tipar Cakung 4,945 sqm

3. Rorotan, Koja 5,711 sqm

4. Jl. Lorong 104, Koja 6,000 sqm

Source: Jakarta Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Agency