'Plaza Semanggi will make traffic worse'

'Plaza Semanggi will make traffic worse'

A new shopping mall, called Plaza Semanggi, is being developed
on the corner of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Gatot Subroto in Central
Jakarta, near the Semanggi cloverleaf. Some experts, and most
casual observers, are certain that the development will make
traffic in the area even worse than it already is. Despite these
fears, construction of the building began even before the city
administration completed a traffic impact analysis. What do the
people have to say about the situation?

Widyawati Djuana, 29, was born in Jember, East Java, and has
been in Jakarta for 11 years. She works at a financial firm on
Jl. Sudirman.

"I think the developer should think twice before constructing
a mall in the area of the Semanggi cloverleaf. It must be kept in
mind that vehicles from many different directions pass through
the Semanggi cloverleaf. Building a mall there could worsen the
traffic on the thoroughfares, especially after work hours.

Look at Ratu Plaza (on Jl. Sudirman), which causes heavy
traffic along the road. I cannot imagine how people could get on
buses after work if a mall is built in Semanggi.

However, personally I have no objections to the construction.
That is mainly because my boyfriend rents a house in Bendungan
Hilir, which is near the area, so it will be easy for us to go
shopping."

A.G. Eka Wenats Wuryanto, 32, a lecturer at Atma Jaya
University, located near the Plaza Semanggi site. He lives in
Jatiwaringin, East Jakarta.

"From an economic point of view, the would-be Plaza Semanggi
will create some very lucrative business in the area. The
location is very strategic.

However, I totally disagree with the plan (to build the
shopping center).

The shopping center is being developed without any
consideration of other important aspects.

The location is inappropriate. I cannot imagine how it will
influence students at the university, which is just next to the
new mall.

It will more or less affect the education process at the
institution. If I may say, it is sure to impede the teaching and
learning process."

Yanti, 23, an employee at a multinational company on Jl.
Sudirman in Central Jakarta. She lives in Kebayoran Lama, South
Jakarta.

"I'm glad that a new mall is being built, so I can go there
and do some window shopping on Saturdays and Sundays.

Maybe the mall developer thinks there is a chance to attract
buyers despite all the other shopping malls already open in the
city. I don't know.

It will also create new job opportunities. So I think it is
good since there are so many unemployed people here.

New traffic jams? Probably the traffic police can manage the
traffic so the mall will not create any new traffic congestion.
But traffic jams are common here. Me and probably everybody else
are used to the traffic." --JP