Sutiyoso wants Tanah Abang torn down for safety reasons
Sutiyoso wants Tanah Abang torn down for safety reasons
Damar Harsanto, Jakarta
Despite Governor Sutiyoso's strong stance on the plan to tear
down the Tanah Abang textile market in Central Jakarta, the
market management prefers to wait until the 6,800 traders have
been relocated.
PD Pasar Jaya President Prabowo Soenirman said on Friday that
the management had two alternatives for a temporary market for
the traders; the market's Block A which is now under renovation
or the vacant land near Melati dam.
"We first have to inform the traders about the plan," he told
reporters after meeting Sutiyoso.
Sutiyoso said on Wednesday the market would be torn down
despite opposition from city councillors and vendors.
"The demolition is necessary according to a technical study
that indicates the building could collapse in the near future. I
may delay the demolition only if someone is ready to take the
blame if something bad happens," he said.
The Jakarta Construction Supervision and Regulation Agency has
recommended the demolition of blocks B, C, D and E of the market.
Its recommendation was based on a study carried out by the
Bandung Institute of Technology's School of Civil Engineering,
which found that the poor quality of the concrete used in the
blocks could not bear the existing loads.
Sutiyoso pointed to a fatal accident on Feb. 14, when a wall
of Block A collapsed on construction workers doing renovation
work, killing one worker and injuring 11 others.
"That was a warning to us. I do not want to take further risks
by letting vendors use the building," he said.
Dani Anwar of the City Council's Commission B for economic
affairs criticized the planned demolition.
"It is unnecessary to demolish the building since market
operator PD Pasar Jaya, along with its consultant, has proposed
strengthening the building when they add on to Block D," Dani
said.
Dani said his commission would summon PD Pasar Jaya to a
hearing to discuss the matter.
Paulus, a vendor in Block B, demanded compensation for the
kiosk he bought for Rp 650 million (US$72,222) last July.
He expressed doubt he would be able to buy a similarly sized
kiosk for that price in the new building.
Prabowo Soenirman said earlier that the four blocks would be
rebuilt after they had finished renovation work on Block A, which
was gutted by fire on Feb. 19, 2003.
The massive fire destroyed 2,420 of a total of 7,594 kiosks in
the market. Blocks A and E were the most badly affected by the
fire, with 1,741 kiosks being destroyed in Block A and 505 kiosks
in Block E.