Tanah Abang traders, city agree on relocation

Tanah Abang traders, city agree on relocation

Damar Harsanto and Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Traders of the gutted Tanah Abang textile market in Central Jakarta have been allowed to resume trading at a temporary site in the parking lot of Block F of the market, while the market is rebuilt.

The fire razed 2,420 out of a total 7,594 shops covering six blocks. Only those shops in Blocks B and F escaped the blaze.

Block A suffered the greatest losses, with 1,741 shops burnt down out of a total of 2,762.

The decision to let traders use the parking lot was announced by Governor Sutiyoso at a meeting on Tuesday evening with 200 representative traders at City Hall.

Earlier, the city administration had offered the Waduk Melati area on Jl. Kebon Kacang, some 500 meters away from the gutted market, but the location was rejected by the traders.

"You, however, must discipline yourselves as the makeshift shops and your merchandise are combustible. You must remind each other to put safety as the top priority," the governor told the traders.

Sutiyoso said they, for example, should not smoke in the temporary market or litter the cigarette butts.

"Traders must also familiarize themselves with fire extinguishers in cooperation with the City Fire Department.

"Market operator PD Pasar Jaya will provide fire extinguishers in easily accessible places to prevent such a fire from happening again."

A total of 2,269 shops measuring 2 meters by one meter will be provided in the temporary market.

As the temporary market is to occupy the parking lot, the city administration has decided to relegate the use of 5-hectare Waduk Melati as a temporary parking lot.

The marketplace and Waduk Melati will be linked by 10 free-of- charge shuttle buses scheduled to leave at an interval of 15 minutes. The buses will be financed by the revenue grossed by the Waduk Melati temporary parking lot, at Rp 500,000 (US$56) per day for each bus.

"PD Pasar Jaya has decided to use its own funds in all work related to the reconstruction, so the traders will not be burdened too much.

"It is estimated that the reconstruction will need up to one- and-a-half years to complete. All the traders' remaining rights in the market will be reinstated once the work is finished," said Sutiyoso.

Meanwhile, thousands of traders in Tanah Abang hurried to resume their operations on Tuesday, crossing some areas with "No Entry" signs posted by the market's management, due to the danger of collapsing structures and falling debris.

Some traders started repainting their blackened kiosks on Tuesday, some were repairing the damages on their kiosks, while some others were seen arranging their merchandise.

Police and security guards at the scene did nothing to reprimand those who crossed the demarcation tape. They also sat on their hands while several scavengers trespassed and spirited away some metal debris.

The putrid smell of scorched apparel and plastic, the pitch dark of an electricity blackout, and the debris littered around the premises and mixed with muddy water, all failed to deter the traders from recommencing business.

"Business must go on. Otherwise, our customers will run away," said Nerlan, 65, a textile trader using some candles as lights.

Although the blaze did not destroy his three kiosks, Nerlan said that the fire still had affected his business severely.

"I've suffered around Rp 2 billion in losses as many customers canceled their orders," said Nerlan, who had just reopened on Tuesday. He said he used to make about Rp 20 million per kiosk each day.

Nerlan said the traders were in dire need of electricity rather than relocation.

"Once the electricity is supplied, the market will start recovering its business," Nerlan said.

Some traders were also seen selling off their merchandise at discounted prices.

"We've slashed the prices by 50% to sell off our stock...We will move to other kiosks as we've heard that the management will bulldoze the burnt buildings," said a shopkeeper.