Private parking operators told to comply with rules

JAKARTA (JP): City administration will start on Wednesday a one-month campaign to persuade privately-run parking operators to comply with all city regulations regarding parking fees and business licenses, officials said on Tuesday.

"The private parking lots will have until next Monday to install new signboards and change their computer and ticketing systems in accordance with parking fees set by the city administration," Assistant to City Secretary on Administration Affairs Ma'mun Amin said at City Hall.

"We understand that they need time to make all of the replacements, although we told them earlier. We'll give them more time as it's not easy to replace signboards and computer systems," he added.

Ma'mun emphasized that the private parking lots were considered additional facilities required by the City Bylaw No.4/1975 on multi-story building requirements.

"This means that the management cannot set parking fees just like that. It will be different if they build a structure used solely for parking and where it is imperative they get a return on their investment," he said.

Last Friday Governor Sutiyoso ordered that all private parking lots need to charge the tenants fees similar to those fees set by the city administration, as stipulated in Gubernatorial Decree No. 1698/1999 on off-street parking fees.

They must do so by May 1.

The decree stipulates a varied and complex way of charging fees. In general, it charges Rp 1,000 (13 US cents) for the first hour in busy areas and Rp 500 in less busy areas.

Fees for the consecutive hours depend on the main function of the lots, such as offices, or hotels and shopping centers.

"Perhaps we have to revise the fee structure. I myself get confused with it sometimes," Ma'mun said.

Besides the gubernatorial decree, City Bylaw No.5/1999 on parking stipulates that the private parking operators have to share their revenues with the city administration at 25 to 35 percent.

Ma'mun, however, said that the city administration has yet to hold talks on revenue sharing as stipulated by the city bylaws.

"We are giving the companies more time before setting the revenue sharing. Let them concentrate on the new parking fees and process their licenses first," he said.

He also said that the next stage was to register all private parking lots in the city.

"They must register their parking lots with the City Parking Agency and get proper licenses starting next Monday," he added.

Agency's deputy head Bubung Burhana said city administration had issued 323 licenses since May 24, 1998.

"The procedure to get the license is simple and cost-free, provided the companies prepared all required documents," he said.

"We will monitor all the private parking lots whether they comply with the regulations or not. For those who fail to do so, we'll send warning letters every week," Bubung added.

Ma'mun stated that by June 1 all parking lots were expected to comply with the regulations.

"We'll take any necessary legal actions to enforce them," he said, while denying that the city administration lacked power to enforce the regulations. (nvn)