Officials defend planned bus station relocation
Officials defend planned bus station relocation
JAKARTA (JP): City officials here on Thursday defended the
planned relocation of the Pulogadung bus terminal, arguing that
feasibility studies on the two possible relocation sites could
help improve access to the new bus terminal.
The chief of the planning division at the City Land
Transportation Agency, D.A. Rini, said that vehicle density and
the capacity of the roads surrounding the bus terminal must be
considered.
"More access routes on each side of the bus terminal will
reduce the burden on the individual roads," Rini said.
There are two proposed sites for the new bus terminal. Both
are located in Pulogebang in East Jakarta.
The first site is 7.1 hectares in area, while the second site,
owned by PT Perumnas, covers 14.4 hectares.
Speaking during a visit to the proposed sites accompanied by
City Council members, Rini said the second site would have
greater access to industrial estates, the Eastern Outer Ringroad
and other major thoroughfares in the area.
"The (second) site is only 600-meters from the existing Cakung
railroad station, 3.4 kilometers from the Jl. Raya Bekasi
arterial highway and 600 meters from Jl. Pondok Kopi-Kranji," she
remarked.
The plan to relocate the terminal, designed to service both
Jakarta commuters and intercity passengers, was first mooted in
1987, with the 7.1 hectare site being selected as the location of
choice.
The site was first managed by private contractor PT Rodiol
Eron, but in 1997 the company claimed that they could no longer
afford to finance the project.
The city administration then took over the project, planning
to build the terminal using its own resources with completion
scheduled for 2002.
Recently, the city administration has tended to favor the
second site owned by Perumnas, despite the fact that the area
spatial plan has already earmarked it for a low-cost housing
complex.
The matter has also been questioned by city councilors,
particularly as regards land appropriation at the first proposed
site.
"It might be better to go ahead with the new (second) site,
because the city administration must meet its target of beginning
construction this year," chairman of Commission D for development
affairs, Sayogo Hendrosubroto, said.
Rini noted that "the City Planning Agency has confirmed that
it will require a coordinated effort to change the city spatial
plan," if the second site is selected.
Rini added that the current taxable valuation for the second
site was Rp 464,000 per square meter.
East Jakarta Mayor Andi Mappaganty confirmed that his office
had established a team to check the validity of the certificates
submitted by the previous developer PT Rodial Eron.
"We have received complaints from several of the original
owners of the (first) site, who claim that the land appropriation
process had yet to be completed," said the mayor, who also
participated in the visit.
Andi said he would wait for the findings of the team before
finally selecting a site. "We will agree to the choice which
benefits the city most." (07)