Thamrin project to go ahead

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)