Modern bus terminal planned for Rawabuaya

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration is exploring the possibility of building a modern terminal in Rawabuaya, Cengkareng, West Jakarta, to replace the Kalideres bus terminal.

In a meeting held on Wednesday Deputy Governor for Economic and Development affairs, Tb. M. Rais, proposed that the city build a modern terminal instead of a traditional one in Rawabuaya.

Rais said a conventional bus terminal needs a wide plot of land and, given the current land prices in the city, it would be better if the city built a modern terminal in Rawabuaya.

He urged the related offices to consider the proposal and to postpone the planned construction of a traditional terminal in Rawabuaya.

Head of the Jakarta Branch of the Ministry of Transportation Abdul Karim Tjokroprawiro told reporters Wednesday that the city is considering implementing a vertical housing design in the construction of the modern terminal if it is approved by the city administration.

"This vertical construction design will be more effective and efficient," Abdul said after the meeting, citing the Blok M bus terminal in South Jakarta as an example.

The city administration is planning to build a bus terminal on a 10 hectare plot of land in Rawabuaya which will cost Rp 30 billion (US$13.63 million), for which it has allocated Rp 437 million to prepare the terminal's construction design.

The establishment of the terminal has been delayed since the city administration rejected the first phase of the construction of the terminal in 1993, reportedly due to the poor quality of the building materials.

A source at the City Development Board, who asked not to be identified, concurred with the deputy governor saying that the vertical housing design for the terminal construction would be more effective and efficient.

"The land can be used optimally and it needs a smaller space of land," the source said, adding, however, that the city has yet to make a final decision on the original plan.

In a terminal using the vertical construction design, the basement will be used as a maintenance center, the first floor as the arrival section, second floor as the departure section and third floor as a parking lot.

He said that although the construction of a modern terminal is more expensive, it has several advantages for the city. "One of the advantages is that it will enable the city to use the remaining land for other purposes.(yns)