Council wants integrated system for service ducts
Council wants integrated system for service ducts
JAKARTA (JP): The City Council urged the municipal administration to consider developing an integrated system of water pipe, telephone and electricity cable ducts to prevent unnecessary excavation of streets.
Lukman Mokoginta, a member of the Council's Commission D in charge of development affairs, told reporters yesterday that it is time to develop an integrated system to stop the never-ending overlapping excavation work by the various departments.
"It is advisable for the city administration to consider a plan for the development of underground ducts to accommodate the various cables and pipes put down by the different public service agencies," Lukman, who is also chairman of the United Development Party faction, said after meeting with officials of various city institutions.
Lukman said that the proposal for the integrated system was advanced after hearing of the city administration's plan to build a small-scale underground network designed to accommodate the installation of cables and pipes.
"The integrated system is more appropriate for the city, especially to support the plan to make Jakarta a service city," Lukman said.
He also suggested that the new system should be integrated with the work to be done for the waterfront city project to be developed in North Jakarta.
He added that the city should start planning the development of the integrated tunnel system as soon as possible before available land space is fully utilized.
He said the duct system is one of the most important things a modern city such as Jakarta should have.
He acknowledged that it is not an easy job to integrate the excavation work by the water company, PAM Jaya; the telecommunications company, PT Telkom, and the electricity firm, PLN.
"The problem is each office has its own different budget schedule. And the result is that excavation projects come one after the other at the same location," he said
He added that this not only disturbs the public, but also makes the city dirty.
Deputy Governor for Economic and Development Affairs Tb. Rais recently called for an end to the overlapping work and urged related offices to coordinate their excavation activities.
Lukman said that the city administration has responded positively to the duct proposal, but is concerned at the high cost of developing the integrated system.
"I understand it will be an expensive investment but it will be cheaper than maintaining the current system," Lukman said.
He explained that the cumulative amount of funds spent in one Five Year Development Plan for excavation work is much higher than the investment needed for the construction of the integrated system.
Lukman said the city should conduct a feasibility study on the system first and if the result is satisfying, the project could be offered to investors.
"This is also a very good business because the city can get revenues by renting it to various offices that use the facility," Lukman said. (yns)