Construction of Senen flyover postponed

Construction of Senen flyover postponed

JAKARTA (JP): A bizarre administrative error regarding the
payment of compensation for the owner of a house to be demolished
has impeded the construction of a flyover in the Senen area,
Central Jakarta.

The building, located on Jl. Kramat Raya, has yet to be pulled
down, reportedly because the officers in charge of the project
had given the compensation payment to the wrong person.

The compensation should have been paid to the heirs of Kamal
Zimah, the owner of the house being deceased. Instead it was paid
to a woman named Chadijah, said City Councilor Edi Sukiswantari,
as quoted by Suara Pembaruan yesterday.

"This minor, but strange problem, should be immediately
solved. In any case it should not adversely affect the
construction of the flyover," said Sukiswantari, a member of the
council's Commission A which oversees development affairs.

She said her commission discussed the matter with the project
officers last month. "They have promised to solve the problem as
soon as possible and report it to the council."

Sukiswantari said she had also contacted the municipal
administration's inspectorate responsible for land disputes to
conduct an investigation into the truth of this "administrative
blunder."

"It sounds strange. How come it could happen? Anyway things
must be straightened out quickly as the construction of the
flyover cannot be delayed any longer. It should be completed on
schedule," she said.

The councilor also questioned the project officers over
allegations that compensation, given to owners of buildings
affected by the project, was made under an installment payment
system. "The compensation should be paid in cash," she stressed.

The Senen flyover is one of eight flyovers now under
construction in Jakarta. All eight are expected to be completed
this year. Jakarta's Governor Surjadi Soedirdja hopes that with
the completion of the flyovers and one underpass the city's
nagging traffic problems may be partially solved.

Sources who requested anonymity told Suara Pembaruan
that they smelt something fishy going on in the administrative
procedures of the Senen flyover project.

The sources said the compensation sum of Rp 75 million should
have been paid to the heirs of Kamal, the legitimate owner of the
house in question."But then those corrupt project officers gave a
sum of Rp 54 million to a certain Mrs. Chadijah who has no right
whatsoever to accept the money because he has never occupied the
disputed house."

Even if Chadijah does really exist and was duly entitled to
the compensation, she should have received Rp 75 million instead
of Rp 54 million, the sources said.

"But when this bizarre thing was uncovered, those cheeky
officials simply said that they had given the money to the wrong
person. We just could not help laughing as we could not see the
logic of it whatsoever," the daily quoted the sources as saying.
(bas)