New Pulo Gebang terminal urgent, says council

JAKARTA (JP): The City Council has urged the administration to immediately begin construction of a new bus terminal in Pulo Gebang, East Jakarta.

The chairman of the council's commission D for development affairs, Bandjar Marpaung, said yesterday the city administration should quickly approve the latest design proposed by PT Rodial Eron, a private developer that has been given the right to build the terminal.

"The design had been changed several times since 1991. The deputy governor for economic and development affairs has approved the latest one, but until now, the city administration has not yet given any feedback to the developer," Bandjar said.

"The city administration should sit back and discuss the new design with the developer," Bandjar said after a hearing with PT Rodial Eron yesterday.

He said by approving the design, the construction could begin soon.

"The construction can start in January next year if the agency approves the plan soon," he said.

He said the construction had been delayed for about five years, and it was time for the city to take it seriously.

The city administration signed a memorandum of understanding with the developer to relocate the terminal in Pulogadung to Pulo Gebang in 1991 under a barter scheme.

Cooperation is being delayed due to a dispute between the administration and the developer over the width of the land and the design of the new terminal.

The dispute began when the city administration insisted that the developer provide 10 hectares of land to build the terminal. The dispute was settled after the developer argued that it was the city's job to provide the remaining 2.9 hectares.

The developer said that under the agreement, it was required to build the terminal on a 7.1 hectare plot of land in Pulo Gebang in order to acquire the right to use a 3.3 hectare plot in Pulogadung.

The assistant for the city secretary, Prawoto Danoemihardjo, said the city administration allowed the developer to build the terminal on a 7.1 hectare plot, but it should change the design of the terminal.

Bandjar also said the plan has been delayed because the city administration did not form a special team to realize the plan. He added that due to this fact, the developer could not discuss the design with certain agencies or officials.

Bandjar said the bus terminal is needed to replace the one in Pulogadung, East Jakarta because it is considered no longer appropriate for an intercity bus terminal.

"It's too small and traffic jams always occur every day," Bandjar said.

Under the agreement, the developer is also required to build a transit bus terminal in Pulogadung.

The new terminal in Pulo Gebang will be a three-story modern bus terminal for intercity buses as well as city buses.

The terminal will be equipped with commercial centers such as shops, a hotel for passengers and bus drivers and storage lockers. (yns)