Sidewalk traders in Pasar Minggu

Sidewalk traders in Pasar Minggu

JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta mayoralty has removed 39 sidewalk kiosks from the area around Pasar Minggu bus terminal, pursuant to an order requiring their removal by Jan. 20, 1995.

The mayoralty has provided space at a nearby market place to accommodate the kiosks. A number of kiosk owners responded to the instruction immediately, moving 32 kiosks there, Antara reported.

Suparmo, head of the Pasar Minggu district, praised the owners of the 32 kiosks for their readiness to abide by the mayoralty's decision.

The remaining seven kiosks, whose owners refused to move them away, were demolished on Thursday by officers of the South Jakarta law and order office.

The decision to remove the kiosks was made because their presence had made the streets around the terminal very crowded, thereby causing traffic jams, officials said.

Ramal P., head of the law and order office, said that 150 of his officers are deployed in the terminal to safeguard security. The terminal accommodates hundreds of buses and other public transit vehicles, such as Metro Mini, Kopaja and Mikroletbuses, daily.

The deployment of the officers is also intended to prevent the former owners of the demolished kiosks from returning to their old location. (25)