Substitute for 3-wheeled vehicles needed
Substitute for 3-wheeled vehicles needed
JAKARTA (JP): City Councilors are supporting the city administration's plan to phase out three-wheeled vehicles -- bemo and bajaj -- in Jakarta though, at the same time, they caution about the need for the municipality to prepare substitutes.
Soegijo, a member of the Golkar faction, said on Monday, "I agree with the plan but it is important to determine the replacements soon to avoid what happened when the city administration eliminated becak (pedicabs) several years ago."
The city government banned the operation of becak in residential areas on the grounds that the pedicabs were "inhumane".
The administration offered no substitute and the subsequent disappearance of becak has led to motorcycle taxis, popularly known as ojek, which are now operated illegally all around the city.
Soegijo thus reiterated the importance of finding vehicles to replace bajaj and bemo.
The city administration is planning to gradually phase out all three-wheel public vehicles in Jakarta, claiming that they are no longer suitable for transporting passengers in the city.
Romulus, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction, agrees that the plan to eliminate bemo and bajaj should occur in stages.
"It will be better if the city administration implements the plan naturally by refusing to extend their licenses," Sihombing said.
"However, the city administration has been inconsistent with its own plans and continues to issue new licenses," he said.
Head of the City Traffic and Land Transportation Agency JP Sepang pointed out that bajaj and bemo are no longer included on the city's public transportation vehicle list.
At present there are a total of 1,096 bemos officially registered at Sepang's office. Another 750 bemos operate without licenses.
Meanwhile, Saud Rachman, a member of the United Development Party faction, urged the city administration to speed up the issuance of new route permits for four-wheeled public vehicles to anticipate the elimination of bajaj and bemo.
"I know that the city administration intends to issue new route permits and I think it will be better if the related office implements the plan as soon as possible," Rachman said. (yns)