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

'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)