Demands rise for review of controversial busway project
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The city administration remains at a loss as to when to start the controversial busway system, while criticism demanding a review of the project has increased.
Despite the mounting criticism however, the administration is obstinate enough to proceed with the project.
In a one-day seminar held on Wednesday at Trisakti University, West Jakarta, deputy head of the City Transportation Agency Nurahman reiterated his agency's optimism that the busway project would continue.
"We believe it's the best we can do to solve chronic traffic problems in the city ... We have spent a long time in designing the project, with painstaking, in-depth studies," Nurahman claimed.
Nurahman said the administration would carry out the project this year. However, he did not mention the detailed time frame.
"The decision is in the hands of Assistant for Development Affairs to the Governor Irzal Jamal, who also serves as the project coordinator," said Nurahman.
Nurahman's statements were made in response to abundant criticism voiced from the floor by participants to a seminar titled "The plan to implement a busway in Jakarta".
Raja, an alumnus of Trisakti's school of civil engineering, doubted the project would become the proper solution to the notorious traffic congestion in the capital.
"The busway project will reduce some of the road width as the dedicated bus lane uses the existing road instead of a flyover," Raja said.
As a result, the traffic, which is already heavily congested, would end up even more congested, especially during peak hours, Raja said.
He said that in most cases it was motorists who caused congestion, not the buses.
Raja also blasted the administration for not inviting public participation on the project.
"Only after the planning had reached its final stages did the administration announce the project to the public. Does the administration have an evaluation mechanism should the project fail?" Raja said.
Another participant at the seminar, Lembong, urged the administration to delay the project.
"The administration must delay the project to allow time for in-depth and comprehensive studies into integrated transportation systems in Jakarta, which can become part of the city's long-term planning," said Lembong.
The absence of a comfortable and safe pavement for pedestrians who will be the bus passengers, coupled with the poor "integrated feeder system," a supporting system that enables busway passengers to continue their trip once they have got off the buses, have also become critical issues for the administration to consider in its review of the project, said Andi Rachma of non- governmental organization Pelangi.
A panelist in the seminar, Sr. Comr. Endro Agung of the National Police Headquarters traffic directorate, said police would find it difficult to enforce the busway system unless the administration improved existing facilities.
"We cannot expect that would-be passengers or motorists would be disciplined to abide by the regulations in the busway system if they did not enjoy the comfort and safety of road facilities, such as crossings and shelters," said Endro.
Many pedestrians are reluctant to use overpasses and shelters. In what has become a common occurrence in Jakarta, people take a short cut to cross the road, ignoring the existing traffic regulations. Motorists are also notorious for being reluctant to stop at zebra and other pedestrian crossings.
The new bus system, which costs Rp 90.5 billion (US$10 million) will use 60 air-conditioned buses, each with a capacity of 85 passengers. The buses will ply the 12.9 kilometer route from Blok M, South Jakarta, to Kota, West Jakarta, with a headway of 1.5 minutes to five minutes.
The project, which was initially scheduled to start by the end of last year, has already been postponed for several times.