Sutiyoso tows to improve public transportation
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Governor Sutiyoso is seeking to raise the city budget to Rp 16.98 trillion (US$1.69 billion) in 2006 in order to finance ambitious transportation and flood mitigation projects.
Speaking during the submission of the city's working plan for 2006 to the City Council, Sutiyoso listed 15 projects that would get priority in 2006, including transportation, flood mitigation and housing for low-income people.
The city's 2005 budget stood at Rp 14.01 trillion.
Sutiyoso said on Friday that he would like to allocate Rp 4.06 trillion or 24.3 percent of the total proposed 2006 budget for 15 key programs.
"Next year's key programs are directly related to the interests of the public -- they are monumental, large-scale and urgent for the improvement of the people's welfare," he said.
In the 2005 budget, the city administration allocated Rp 2.82 trillion for 13 key programs.
Under Sutiyoso's proposal, the transportation sector will receive the largest amount of budgetary funds -- Rp 876.7 billion for busway projects, Rp 155 billion for mass rapid transit (MRT) facilities and Rp 166 billion for the construction of underpasses and flyovers.
The city plans to develop two busway corridors in 2006 -- corridor IV from Pulogadung in East Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta, and corridor V from Kampung Rambutan to Kampung Melayu, both in East Jakarta.
Corridor I stretches from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta, corridor II from Pulogadung to Harmoni in Central Jakarta, and corridor III from Harmoni to Kalideres in West Jakarta.
The city allocated Rp 515 billion for the construction of corridors II and III, which are expected to be completed early next year.
The budget allocation for the MRT project would be used to acquire land. The MRT project itself will stretch from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to the National Monument (Monas) park in Central Jakarta.
Meanwhile, flood mitigation projects will receive the second largest allocations -- Rp 500 billion for land acquisition for the East Flood Canal project, and Rp 315 billion for dredging up the city's rivers.
The construction of the East Flood Canal is set for completion in 2007, but the project is facing serious problems, particularly in terms of land acquisition. This year the city allocated Rp 450 billion for land acquisition for the project.
Another priority program is in the housing sector. The city has allocated Rp 360 billion for the construction of 3,000 units of low-cost apartments and for the improvement of sanitation in crowded residential areas.
Other key programs include the construction of a seaport in Muara Angke in North Jakarta, the relocation of street vendors, waste management, the expansion of green spaces, micro-credits for subdistrict residents, public service improvement, the renovation of schools and health services for the poor.
Sutiyoso said he expected the economy to grow by 6.13 percent in 2006 as compared to 5.24 percent this year, while the inflation rate would remain at this year's rate of 8 percent.