New busway entails more cash

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta

The city administration intends to propose an additional budget to provide cash to finance construction of the next busway corridor.

"The proposed additional budget is around Rp 200 billion (US$21.28 million). Hopefully we can complete the proposal by the end of this month and submit it to the City Council," City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya said at City Hall on Friday.

He added the additional budget was needed because relevant city agencies involved in the busway project could not shoulder the estimated costs.

"The three agencies -- public works, transportation and parks -- will finance the project with money taken from delayed projects. We shall cover the deficit from the additional budget," he said.

The administration has estimated it will spend up to Rp 600 billion on new busway infrastructure, which excludes the procurement of buses, as they will be purchased by private companies.

The transportation agency will spend Rp 369 billion on construction of bus stops and pedestrian bridges, while the public works agency is to spend around Rp 200 billion on building the exclusive busway lane and on land acquisition along the corridor.

"We need Rp 110 billion for construction of the lane and Rp 90 billion for acquiring land from Kelapa Gading (North Jakarta) to Pulogadung (East Jakarta)," said public works agency head Fodly Misbach.

So far, the public works agency has available only Rp 11 billion from the delayed road widening project on Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta.

Ritola said that land acquisition for the project would be the responsibility of the three municipalities involved.

The new busway routes comprise two corridors: one from Pulogadung to the National Monument (Monas) Park, Central Jakarta, and another from Monas to Kalideres, West Jakarta. Ultimately, Jakarta will have 14 busway corridors.

"Preparation of the infrastructure will be completed this year, while the busway itself will become operational in 2005," Ritola said.

The administration will also proceed with the plan to construct the Pulogadung to Hotel Indonesia corridor in 2006 and the Kampung Rambutan, East Jakarta, to Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, corridor in 2007. So far, the city has one busway corridor from Blok M, South Jakarta, to Kota, West Jakarta, which became operational on Jan. 15.