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)