Public buses resume services, delays remain
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Public transportation was returning to normal on Monday, but drivers complained about a scarcity of fuel and a decrease in their earnings as traffic jams continued to affect some roads due to floodwater remaining at several locations.
Among the transportation that has returned to normal were city buses serving bus terminals at Kampung Melayu, Kampung Rambutan and Pulogadung in East Jakarta, Tanah Abang and Senen in Central Jakarta, Blok M in South Jakarta and Kota in West Jakarta.
However, at other bus terminals, such as Grogol and Kalideres in West Jakarta, a number of public minivans had not resumed operation after four days of flooding had inundated most of the city.
On Saturday and Sunday only a few of them were in operation as many road sections were still inundated by floodwater.
Many of the drivers refused to serve their complete route and avoided inundated sections, leaving many stranded passengers with no choice but to use ojek (motorcycle taxis) at much higher rates.
On Monday, commuters faced hours of delay as several major roads leading to the central business district were partially blocked by waist-high water. The toll road connecting Cawang to Tanjung Priok was totally congested for most of the day.
Iskandar, a driver of a public minivan plying the Senen- Kampung Melayu route said his income had dropped on Monday as traffic jams had caused delays.
"Usually, I can make up to five return trips in half a day, but today I was only able to make three by 1.p.m. My income decreased by Rp 30,000," Iskandar told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Similar complaints were also expressed by Edi, a driver of a Kopaja minibus serving the Tanah Abang-Kampung Melayu route. He said that on Monday he was able to collect only Rp 20,000 by 12.30 p.m., compared with Rp 50,000 normally.
The traffic jam on Jl. Jatinegara Barat occurred as only one lane of the road could be used. The other was used for setting up aid posts.
Traffic jams were also observed on other roads, such as Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta, Jl. Cileduk Raya in South Jakarta and Jl. S. Parman in West Jakarta.
A number of gas stations have not yet returned to normal due to the disruption of fuel distribution, also caused by the flooding.
Gasoline at a fuel station in Kreo, Jl. Cileduk Raya, South Jakarta had run out by 9 a.m. on Sunday, while the Kunciran gas station on Jl. Raya Cipondoh, Tangerang, had run out on Saturday.
Trimarjoko, the owner of a fuel station in Kreo, Cileduk, said he could not make contact with PT. Sesama Usaha Mitra Tama Ganda, a partner of state fuel and gas company Pertamina, which usually supplied premium gasoline to his pumps.
"I tried to phone the company, but there was no response. Therefore, I do not know when premium will be delivered to my fuel station," Joko told the Post on Monday. His station could only sell diesel fuel on Monday.
He said PT Sesama Usaha Mitra Tama Ganda was a company that also supplied eight gas stations owned by Taufik Kiemas, the husband of President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Joko added the company always gave priority to Taufik's gas stations and discriminated against others, including his own.
Meanwhile, gas stations at Kemandoran, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta could only serve premium while diesel fuel and premix had run out since Sunday.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro acknowledged that there was a problem with distribution in several areas in the capital as the tanker trucks could not reach the locations.
Purnomo added that Pertamina had asked its Balongan refinery to supply more fuel if the Plumpang depot could not operate due to flooding. Other depots that could also be readied to supply Jakarta included those in Tanjung Priok, Tanjung Gerem and Padalarang.