S. Jakarta mayor backs escalators, despite protests
JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta Mayor H. Pardjoko threw his weight behind the decision of city-owned Market Company, PD Pasar Jaya, to continue the construction of two escalators outside the Blok M market despite strong objection from small-scale traders in the marketplace.
Speaking after a meeting of the South Jakarta mayoralty leadership council here on Tuesday, Pardjoko denied claims that the development of the escalators would lead to a reduction of the traders' sales.
"The construction of the escalators instead will help anticipate increasing competition in the area," said Pardjoko, referring to a number of marketplaces in the business district.
Two escalators are being built outside the market building, directly connecting the ground floor to the second and third floors and occupied by the Matahari department store which covers some 4,000 square meters of space.
Currently three escalators and two elevators inside the building already connect the three floors.
Over 200 small-scale traders located on the first floor of the building are protesting the intended escalators perceiving it as a threat to their livelihood.
They argue that the development of the escalators would allow potential customers to go directly to the second and third floors, thus bypassing the traders on the first floor.
Though the construction itself is being financed by Matahari department store, ownership will still be in the hands of PD Pasar Jaya.
In protest, hundreds of traders marched on to City Council last Friday to demonstrate their protest to the city market authority's (PD Pasar Jaya) approval of the project.
The traders' anger has also been exhibited in acts of vandalism on the preliminary construction of the escalators.
Fierce protests have created an extremely tense situation prompting the construction to be temporarily postponed over the past few days.
Postponement
"We postponed the construction for a few days to help clear the air but it doesn't mean the project is shelved," Lihardin Sipayung, PD Pasar Jaya spokesman, told The Jakarta Post here yesterday.
Lihardin said the development of the escalators has been misinterpreted by the traders and it is not meant to threaten their livelihood.
"The Blok M market is surrounded by modern department stores, by having the escalators we can add to the attractiveness of the market by giving the buyers easy access," he explained.
Lihardin further said the postponement would also allow time for authorities to educate the traders on the benefit of having escalators.
"These people are like our children, they're not our enemies so naturally we try to heed and accommodate their concerns," he said tactfully.
Authorities have tried to calm anxieties by saying the elevators only go up, thus on the way down shoppers would still have to pass the traders on the first floor.
Despite Pardjoko's confirmation on the escalators, Lihardin said that PD Pasar Jaya have yet to receive orders to resume construction.
A spokesman for the traders has stated that they will bring the matter to the state administrative court (PTUN) to stop the construction. (mds)