Kranji Baru market to be renovated

BEKASI (JP): The Bekasi regency administration plans to renovate the Kranji Baru market in the near future to provide a more comfortable shopping mecca for the city's residents.

The chief of the local agency overseeing markets, S. Sihotang, promised last week that the traditional market will be developed into a modern shopping place.

"This is the answer to traders' and shoppers' complaints over the inconvenience they have to endure when they are in the market," he said.

He added that the local administration believes that the renovated market will better suit everyone's needs because it has been designed based on the suggestions of both businessmen and their customers.

Several traders said that the market built in 1984 is still physically safe to do business in, but they are concerned at the lack of cleanliness. They argue that the dirty environment has discouraged customers from visiting their stalls.

"The garbage is piling up in some places and the terrible odor naturally sends prospective shoppers away from our kiosks," a trader said.

Especially during the rainy season, the traditional market loses out to more modern centers because of its deplorable condition, he said. (13/yns)