Three-tier transit design needs modifying

Three-tier transit design needs modifying

JAKARTA (JP): City authorities have urged the company
earmarked to develop a proposed three-tier transit system to
modify the design to make more efficient use of the available
land.

PT Citramoda Margakencana Persada project officer Budisantoso
Joewono, said one of the things the city wanted was the addition
of light rail tracks next to the planned toll roads.

Budisantoso was speaking at the city's Spatial Plans Agency
after he made a last-minute presentation Wednesday in support of
the project.

Last Friday the city announced the three-tier transit system,
which includes an elevated railway and toll road, had not been
included in the revised spatial plan because the developers had
not submitted a detailed proposal.

Another proposal not included was the Manggarai integrated
transport project. Both are being advanced by separate
consortia led by businesswoman Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.

Budisantoso said Wednesday's presentation was aimed at getting
the three-tier project included in the revised plan.

"We're going to submit more detailed documents on the project
to the administration," he said.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said Tuesday that land use and
preservation of the city's green areas should be considered when
determining whether transport projects should be included in the
revised spatial plans.

Surjadi said it was still possible to include them, but it
would be a lengthy process to do so.

"The (Friday) presentation was part of the evaluation of the
revised spatial plan," he said.

Besides land use and the environment, the city's policy on
high-rise development should also be heeded, the governor said.

The previous urban spatial plan was from 1985 to 2005, while
the revised one is from 1985 to 2010. Revision was considered
necessary in order to meet Jakarta's changing development needs.

Surjadi said further evaluations would also take into account
suggestions from the public and experts.

He said that because the two plans were infrastructure
projects their inclusion would not necessitate much change in the
revised plans.

Budisantoso said the company would minimize land
appropriation.

"The first phase, which is from Pondok Ranji to Kebayoran Lama
in South Jakarta, will be built on land belonging to the state-
owned railway company Perumka and will be completed within two-
and-a-half years," he said.

He said construction work was due to start in December.

The project, in which he said around 30 banks had shown an
interest, was expected to be completed by 2001.

He said land appropriation would only be necessary for the
light railroad's stations.

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation has called for the
publication of the revised spatial plans, on the grounds that
people had the right to know whether their property would be
affected by the planned projects.

On Tuesday its executive director, Zumrotin K. Soesilo, urged
the city to be consistent in implementing the spatial plans. "The
public doesn't feel secure if spatial plans can be changed
easily," he said.

The city, she said, should not allow itself to be pressured by
those with political or economic clout.

"Projects which cannot be included in the spatial plans should
not be issued construction permits," Zumrotin said. (ste)