City to build road projects worth Rp 250b

JAKARTA (JP): City Administration will construct four flyovers and an underpass worth a total of Rp 250 billion (US$33.78 million) to be financed by a special loan from Japan's Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF), an official said on Friday.

Head of the city's Public Works Agency, Fadly Katib, said the construction of the four flyovers and the underpass will start in February next year.

"We've not decided on the contractor as the winner will be decided through an open tender," he told reporters after accompanying Deputy Governor for Development Affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi at the openings of two flyovers in East and West Jakarta.

The new projects include the construction of Pramuka flyover and underpass in East Jakarta, Suprapto flyover in Central Jakarta, Tanjung Barat flyover in South Jakarta and Raya Bogor flyover in South Jakarta.

He said the city administration would finance the land appropriation to build the flyovers and the underpass, estimated to cost Rp 12 billion, which would be taken from the city's 1999/2000 fiscal budget.

Appropriation of at least two hectares of land will start next month, he said.

The two flyovers opened on Friday were Pahlawan Revolusi flyover in East Jakarta and Tomang flyover in West Jakarta.

Fadly said the two flyovers were built by local contractor PT Yala Perkasa International, a company controlled by former president Soeharto's daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana.

He said the construction of the 390-meter Pahlawan Revolusi flyover cost Rp 14.9 billion, excluding the land appropriation expense of Rp 5.9 billion.

Meanwhile, the construction of the 225-meter Tomang flyover cost Rp 14 billion, excluding the land appropriation expense of Rp 4.4 billion, he said.

The Tomang flyover, which was earlier built by a South Korean contractor Hanbo and local firm PT Bumi Karsa, collapsed on March 22, 1996, killing at least three construction workers.

Fadly said the two flyovers were part of the link belt of Pasar Pagi subdistrict, West Jakarta, and Pondok Kopi subdistrict, East Jakarta.

He said the two flyovers would expectedly eradicate 17 traffic points which are currently prone to traffic jams.

Eleven flyovers and underpasses have been built along the link belt, while the remaining six flyovers are in the planning stages.

The six are Radin Intan flyover in East Jakarta; Caringin flyover in West Jakarta; Hasyim Ashari flyover in Central Jakarta; Zainul Arifin flyover, an extension of the Mas Mansyur flyover; and Pasar Pagi flyover, an extension of Mangga Dua flyover, all in West Jakarta. (jun)