Kiosk demolitions postponed

Kiosk demolitions postponed

JAKARTA (JP): The demolition of about 60 kiosks along the
Angke railroad tracks in the Jembatan Lima subdistrict, West
Jakarta, was postponed for the second time yesterday after last
Wednesday's plan was aborted by kiosk owners.

Subdistrict Head Suwiyatono said that he was still waiting for
the mayor's order to carry out the demolition.

Suwiyatono, who has held the office since Dec. 1995, said that
he made an appeal earlier this year for the kiosks' occupants and
those dwelling along the railroad tracks to voluntarily pull down
their kiosks and makeshift houses.

"According to the city's master plan, the site is designated
for a green area and for the double West Jakarta-Tangerang
railway track," he said.

He also said that the kiosks had been built by a privately-
owned company, PT CA, without a permit from the mayoralty. "West
Jakarta Mayor Sutardjianto has officially turned down the
company's request to build kiosks near the Angke railway station
in the Jembatan Lima subdistrict," he said. "The company is not
allowed to build any kiosks."

According to the information obtained by The Jakarta Post, PT
CA rented the 10,105-hectare plot of land along the Angke
railroad tracks from the state-owned railway company (Perumka).
The agreement was signed by the director of PT CA, Edy Kusnadi,
and Ismani, the head of the Operational Division I.

The agreement stated that the railway company rented the plot
to PT CA, which was allowed to use the plot to relocate the local
traders. The deal was meant to make the area environmentally
healthy. (26)