Pasar Jaya to reorganize city's market
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
At times, when she needs cheap batik shirts, less expensive Gouda cheese or quality plastic housewares at good prices, Arima just doesn't know where to go.
"My cousin with her 'where-to-buy-things' knowledge saves the day," said the 52-year-old housewife, who had just recently moved to Jakarta.
"She knows that the best place for batik is Jatinegara, for cheese and plastics is Mayestik," she added, naming several other traditional markets in Jakarta. "Since I live far from those markets, I would rather ask her to buy them for me."
Knowing specialized markets in Jakarta either takes a newcomer the willingness to wander about every market in the city, or, like Arima did, being able to people with years of experience in shopping here.
This task may become a little less daunting with city-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya now organizing a blueprint for markets in the capital.
"We are currently in the phase of reorganizing the markets to make the most of them, including making a zoning plan," PD Pasar Jaya president director Prabowo Soenirman said on Saturday.
Although the grand plan for the reorganization would not be ready for another two weeks, Prabowo pointed to several ideas in the plan such as making the Palmerah Market in West Jakarta a center for vehicle spare parts, and building a new market in Marunda, North Jakarta.
"We are still in discussions with the North Jakarta mayor regarding the (planned) Marunda Market," he said, adding that the grand plan would include turning several traditional markets to modern or specialized ones.
Meanwhile, the plan for Palmerah would be realized as soon as September, as the company has already begun renovating the first floor of that market.
"The kiosks will be ready in September, as a complement to the existing spare parts kiosks on the third floor," said May, a salesperson from the company.
The renovated kiosks at Palmerah are being sold for Rp 25 million to Rp 30 million per square meter. "We see that the car spare parts kiosks have been doing very well and thought why not make it a center," Prabowo added.
PD Pasar Jaya operates more than 150 markets of various sizes in Jakarta, including Pasar Induk Kramat Jati and several blocks in Pasar Senen. Physically, only 27 out of the total number of markets it operates are in a good condition.
The city-owned market operator plans to renovate 26 traditional markets. Previously, it had allocated Rp 260 billion (US$26.7 million) to renovate 18 of the markets.
PD Pasar Jaya also plans to turn several markets in South Jakarta's Radio Dalam, Pondok Indah, as well as West Jakarta's Grogol into specialized markets. (003)