Thamrin project to go ahead

JAKARTA (JP): The municipality will push on with its Thamrin Walk project despite the unwillingness of eight high-rise owners to join the venture, an official said yesterday.

"I think the eight building owners still have not given their approval because they are afraid the project will affect the buildings' security," Prawoto Danumihardjo, the city's assistant for economic and development affairs, told The Jakarta Post.

Prawoto revealed that the eight buildings were among 28 high- rise buildings along Jl. Thamrin. The other 20 owners have agreed to the municipality's plan.

The Thamrin Walk project is intended to beautify the area, tearing down fences and widening sidewalks along the thoroughfare in Central Jakarta to make it "friendlier".

"But the idea to tear down fences and widen the sidewalks has been rejected because the eight building owners still think that it is 'taboo' to have an open space without fences. They think that it will pose a threat to their buildings' security," Prawoto said.

"That's why it will take a long time to make the project come to fruition."

An urban consultant said Wednesday the construction of Thamrin Walk will start next week with the tearing down of some fences for the subsequent widening of sidewalks.

Budi Lim, a representative of the city's consultant in the Thamrin Walk project, told the Post that demolition would start with the fences of those who agreed to participate in the project.

"I want to complete this project soon because I've already spent four years just sorting out the details. It's quite time consuming and wasting a lot of money and energy without the achievement of something significant," he said.

Budi expressed his regret that some building owners had resisted the idea.

"They were only asked to contribute four meters of their property to be converted into sidewalks," he said.

"Why don't they think about the future. If the project works well, we can have a friendlier and more beautiful street and people can pool their cars in nearby parking lots and walk comfortably along the tree-lined sidewalks.

"The project is divided into three stages. The first is to tear down fences; the second is to move and repair the underground cable network, and the last to plant trees along the sidewalks."

Budi said the project also incorporated security initiatives.

"So actually the building owners have nothing to fear if they join the project," he said.

The administration has budgeted to spend about Rp 13.2 billion (US$3.67 million), with the 20 building owners contributing a further Rp 8.5 billion.

Once the beautification project on Jl. Thamrin is completed, Jl. Sudirman has been earmarked for a similar beautification venture. (07)