Crowds flock to shopping centers

Crowds flock to shopping centers

JAKARTA (JP): Roads to shopping centers were heavily jammed
over the weekend, a week before Idul Fitri which falls on
February 9 and 10.

Buses were packed with passengers heading for terminals on
their way home.

In Block M, the route from Jl. Melawai to the crossroads of
Jl. Iskandarsyah took 45 minutes and securing a parking space
took up to 30 minutes.

In Mangga Dua, a popular place for bargains, shoppers spent up
to two hours in traffic from Jl. Gunung Sahari to the U-turn near
the shopping center.

At least one motorist gave up and headed home.

Taxis refused to take passengers to congested centers like the
area around the Ciledug market, South Jakarta.

The Antara news agency quoted a number of shoppers who said
the weekend offered a good time to go shopping as they had just
received their Idul Fitri bonuses. They had also just received
salaries.

Toha Reno, an official at the city's public order office, said
security officials were spread throughout shopping centers in
Jakarta, both uniformed and in civilian clothes. Toha reported no
problems over the weekend and said so far the city was safe.

The area around the Jatinegara market was also crowded.
Traffic crawled on Jl. Bekasi Timur and West Jatinegara.

Sidewalk vendors congested traffic on Jl. Jatinegara Timur and
other parts of the city.

The area around Pulo Gadung terminal, crowded with people
waiting for buses, was also congested with rows of sidewalk
vendors. Buses had trouble entering the terminals due to the
narrow space.

Vendors took up nearly the entire road near the Jatinegara
station. Kiosks selling clothes, jeans and other garments and
cakes were particularly crowded. Department store sales were also
a major attraction.

On Jl. R.S.Fatmawati, South Jakarta, traffic was also slow
owing to the large crowds of people preparing for Idul Fitri.
(anr)