'Three-in-one' not for Saturdays, Sundays

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has decided to allow cars with fewer than three passengers to pass through some of the restricted traffic areas on the city's main streets which are known as three-in-one areas on Saturdays.

With the new decision, the restrictions on the three-in-one streets would not apply on Sundays, Saturdays and national holidays.

Governor Sutiyoso issued a review decision, dated May 13 but announced it only on Tuesday, to include Saturdays, along with Sundays and national holidays, as days exempt from the three-in- one ruling.

Saturdays were not a day off for government employees when the restricted area was introduced in 1994.

The city administration created in 1994 the restricted traffic areas in an effort to reduce traffic congestion on the city's main streets, especially during rush hours.

The restricted areas include Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Jl. Gatot Subroto, and Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta and Jl. MH. Thamrin, connecting with Jl. Jend. Sudirman in Central Jakarta.

Many viewed that the policy would reduce traffic jam problems, but in fact it has created other problems.

Many people, who drive alone, pick up one or two people standing along the streets leading to those restricted streets to meet the requirement that a car should carry at least three passengers to pass the restricted areas.

The people, popularly known as "jockeys," offer their services as passengers for a fee of between Rp 1,000 and Rp 2,000.

The city administration has often conducted raids on these jockeys, sending them to city's social rehabilitation centers, but they again return to the streets. (jun)