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)