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.