Taman Puring traders await certainty over relocation to Lenteng Agung
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Around 140 traders from Taman Puring Market in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, have yet to receive certainty about plans to relocate them to the Lenteng Agung area following a fire that struck the market.
“When we met with the mayor, no location was mentioned. We were only told there would be a relocation. We have only just learnt from social media that there are plans to move us to Lenteng Agung,” Asmun, coordinator of the Taman Puring stallholders, said when contacted in Jakarta on Sunday.
Asmun said that during a meeting with the South Jakarta mayor on Thursday (22 October), the traders asked to be allowed to continue selling in the area around Taman Puring Market.
However, the traders learnt of the proposed relocation to Lenteng Agung through media reports, rather than through direct government consultation.
He said the proposed site was considered quite far from the homes of some traders, who live around Kebayoran Lama and Kebayoran Baru. They fear the distance would increase their daily transport costs.
Asmun added that relocation could also mean losing regular customers, as traders would have to rebuild their businesses’ reputations at a new site.
He explained that Taman Puring Market had long been known to the public, giving traders an advantage in attracting buyers. If they moved, they would have to reintroduce their goods and rebuild customers’ trust.
“If we have to start from scratch, there is no guarantee it will work. Especially as the economy is also difficult at the moment,” he said.
Asmun said there had been more than 500 traders before the fire. Since then, the number still operating was estimated at around 140, as some had lost their stock and were unable to resume trading.
He said the traders hoped the government would proceed with the Taman Puring Market revitalisation they had called for, while also providing space for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to continue their economic activities.
According to the @tamanhutandki Instagram account, Taman Puring is also planned to serve as a public and educational space, with the addition of the Taman Puring Microlibrary.
The project, funded by the Ammodo Foundation, is designed as an inclusive learning space for the disability community, in collaboration with the Jakarta Provincial Government, the Parks and City Forests Agency, and SHAU Architects.
The facility is being designed with a curved, ribbed concrete spiral structure and a green roof to create a shaded reading space that blends into the park landscape.
Its design also includes guiding paths for people with visual impairments, Braille signs, furniture adapted for wheelchair users, and a sensory room.
The facility is one of the ways the Taman Puring area is intended to serve as a public space supporting learning and community activities.
As plans to redevelop the area move forward, traders hope the government will also consider their livelihoods by providing suitable and affordable places to sell.