Messy sidewalks in Jakarta

Messy sidewalks in Jakarta

From Kompas

Jakarta sidewalks are getting increasingly untidy; they have become more of a hindrance to pedestrians than convenient pavements to walk on.

On Jl. Wahid Hasyim, Central Jakarta, for instance, vendors and motorcycle taxi drivers pack the sidewalks from the Hotel Cemara intersection to the Jl. Thamrin interchange and as far as Tanah Abang.

From morning to lunchtime, the roads alongside the National Land Affairs Agency (BPN) building and Sarinah Department Store are watched over by security men. But when they leave, vendors occupy the areas in the afternoon.

Strangely, the same areas will promptly be clean and tidy again when some government officials are slated to pass down the roads. As Jakarta citizens, we hope that all sidewalks are rid of illegal vendors and road designation rules observed.

TERUNA P. Jakarta