Market firm told to give roadside vendors space
Market firm told to give roadside vendors space
JAKARTA (JP): PD Pasar Jaya, the city-owned market firm,
should immediately provide space for sidewalk vendors during
Ramadhan because they had already worsened traffic, Deputy
Governor for Administrative Affairs Idroes said yesterday.
The vendors should not be taking up space on roads, Idroes
said.
The public order office estimates there are 9,346 vendors at
259 sites operating legally in Jakarta.
Meanwhile illegal traders reached 40,956. Most legal and
illegal traders operate in Central and East Jakarta.
However, the number may be higher because many seasonal
vendors show up to take advantage of people shopping for Ramadhan
and Idul Fitri. Additional vendors include newcomers to Jakarta,
shop owners and even office employees.
Thousands of vendors have secured space in and around markets
while Pasar Jaya spokesman Lihardin Sipayung said his office had
not allocated spaces or determined fees for the vendors.
Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, is particularly congested
because traders operate up to three meters from the sidewalk.
Traders in Senen, Central Jakarta, make it impossible to walk on
the sidewalk. In Blok M, traders unload commodities from vans in
the middle of the road.
However traders said they had already paid mayoralty officers
or other individuals with officials' knowledge.
Ikos, a Blok M hat seller, said he was sure he would not be
removed from his spot two meters from the sidewalk during
Ramadhan because he paid the parking attendant Rp 2,000 a day.
In response to how Pasar Jaya would treat traders who felt
secure because they had already paid unofficial fees, Lihardin
said Pasar Jaya could not be held responsible for all traders.
"The city's coordinating board for the informal sector and
small business promotion, and the mayoralty, also coordinate
sidewalk traders," Lihardin said.
He could not say whether the fees traders said they had paid
were illegal.
Pasar Jaya would soon allocate spaces to traders around
markets, he said.
He said market heads would be responsible for ensuring
additional space went to sidewalk vendors. The policy aims to
provide space for vendors who cannot afford legitimate spaces.
He said his office had difficulty controlling the allocation
of additional spaces and ensuring the spaces did not get taken by
people who already own kiosks in markets.
"Often traders sell their space to others for higher fees,"
Lihardin said.
"We will try to increase supervision," he said.
Pasar Jaya will charge strategic sites more than others, he
said, adding that lotteries would be held only if demand was much
higher than available space. (ste/anr)