Market building permits still long way off
Leony Aurora, Jakarta
The planned Jakarta Wholesale Center is unlikely to be able to start operating in November as scheduled, since the environmental impact analysis (Amdal), required for the issuance of the building permits, has only started.
Head of the environmental impact prevention office at the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) Ridwan Panjaitan told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that the process, from initial proposal to final recommendations, would take four months to six months to complete.
The proposal for the eight-story building, which will be built on the site of the former Melati dam, Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta, was submitted by developer PT Jakarta Realty on June 18.
"We shall discuss the proposal next Tuesday," said Panjaitan.
The meeting will determine what issues need an impact analysis, the location and number of samples, methodology and what kind of experts should be included in the team.
The approved team will then carry out a thorough analysis and submit a detailed proposal to the agency on environmental impacts and probable ways to minimize them. Further discussions, involving non-governmental organizations, community figures and experts, will recommend improvements to the plan.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the center, planned to be one of the largest business districts in Southeast Asia, was supposed to take place in late June. Governor Sutiyoso postponed the event due to the absence of permits and hinted that it would take place after the July 5 presidential election.
He said that his subordinates were processing the necessary permits.
Jakarta Construction Supervision and Regulation Agency (P2B) head Djumhana Tjakrawirja asserted that the block plan for the complex was still in the hands of the City Planning Agency, which is empowered to issue land use permits.
"After this permit is acquired and the file is submitted to us, we can start processing the building permits," said Djumhana.
He elaborated that his agency would issue building permits after receiving the analysis recommendations from the BPLHD.
"We can issue preliminary permits upon receiving a receipt that confirms that a proposal has been submitted to the BPLHD," he added.
According to Panjaitan, preliminary permits would allow developers to carry out preconstruction activities, such as fencing off the construction site, defining the boundary and taking soil samples.
"Activities that do not significantly affect the environment are permissible," he said.
The 14.07-hectare site is currently being used as a temporary parking lot for traders and buyers at Tanah Abang textile market.
Analysts have opposed the construction of the center, saying that it is against Bylaw No. 2/2002 on private markets in Jakarta, which stipulates that a private market occupying more than 4,000 square meters (sq m) of land must be built at least 2.5 kilometers away from a traditional or community market.
The Jakarta Wholesale Center will consist of a 282,000 sq m trade center, a 28,500 sq m hotel and convention center, 38,000 sq m of offices, a 196,500 sq m parking area and a 16,000 sq m center for small and medium enterprises. The location is less than a kilometer away from the Tanah Abang market.