Traffic jams cost RI a lot of money

JAKARTA (JP): Rahardi Ramelan, a deputy chairman of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), has warned that the terrible traffic jams cost the country a lot of money.

"Fuel wastage caused by traffic congestion on the main streets of Jakarta alone has been estimated at Rp 1 million (US$425) a year," he told the members of the newly-inaugurated Indonesian Transport Society at the Garuda Indonesia headquarters on Thursday.

He said that traffic congestion may cause Indonesia to become a net importer of oil sooner.

Indonesia's fuel consumption increases by between 12 percent and 15 percent a year. The country is projected to become a net oil importer by 2010 because there have been few domestic oil discoveries in recent years.

The country produces 1.3 million barrels of crude oil per annum, half of which is exported.

Rahardi suggested that motorists use dual-fuel systems in their vehicles to reduce oil consumption.

But only a few taxi operators in Jakarta use compressed natural gas for their fleets.

"Unfortunately, it will take time to prepare compressed natural gas stations to supply fuel," Rahardi said. (icn)