Mayor requests Rp 21b for land for bus terminal

Mayor requests Rp 21b for land for bus terminal

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta

The East Jakarta administration has proposed that Rp 21 billion
(US$2.26 million) for land acquisition for the construction of
the Pulo Gebang bus terminal in East Jakarta be included in its
revised budget for 2004.

"I have proposed additional funds of Rp 21 billion to the
governor for the procurement of some 1.8 hectares of land for the
terminal construction. The land is owned by locals. The governor
and councillors will have the final say on the proposal," East
Jakarta Mayor Koesnan Abdul Halim said on Thursday after a
hearing with City Council Commission D for development affairs.

He explained his administration had spent Rp 41.53 billion to
acquire 9.08 hectares of land for the terminal. He denied reports
that his administration had spent Rp 60 billion instead.

Jakarta Transportation Agency head Rustam Effendy Sidabutar
called on the mayor to continue negotiating with landowners so
the acquisition could be completed this year.

The agency has prepared an alternative design should the
negotiation reached a deadlock. The landowners have been
demanding higher prices than the Taxable Value of the Property
(NJOP).

"Construction must start next year, with or without the
remaining 1.8 hectares of land," Rustam said. The alternative
design would see a change in the position of the terminal gates.

According to Rustam, the agency has spent Rp 6.2 billion on
preparations for the project, including fencing the land, the
design and extra soil for the site.

The administration issued gubernatorial decree No. 1792/1990
to clear 7.1 hectares of land for the construction of the new
terminal -- the biggest in Southeast Asia -- to replace the
existing Pulogadung bus terminal in East Jakarta.

The decree was revised in 2001 with gubernatorial decree No.
2297/2001 that requires the administration to clear 10.9 hectares
of land for the terminal.

Rustam said the design included a two-story terminal building
and a four-story shopping mall connecting the intercity and
inner-city bus terminals.

The bus terminal was supposed to have been operational in
2001, to replace the overcrowded Pulogadung terminal. The planned
terminal would accommodate 1,400 buses per day. It would be
larger than Pulogadung terminal, which is notorious for thuggery
targeting passengers.

Rustam said earlier the terminal construction, worth RP 200
billion (US$22.7 million), would directly connect the terminal
with the toll road.