Transportation woes stress-out Jakartans

T.Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta

Crowded, unsafe and uncomfortable. These three words are possibly the best way to describe the general condition of public transportation in Jakarta.

And if another word may be added, let it be "polluting" as public vehicles often produce thick clouds of smoke.

During rush hour, it is almost impossible to get a seat on a city bus. Many passengers cling to the door, ignoring the danger. But they must also be cautious as pickpockets and armed robbers have been known to operate on buses. Female passengers have even complained of sexual harassment.

Jakarta has several public transportation options other than buses and minivans. A few Becak (three-wheeled pedicab) still ply the streets although they were officially banned more than a decade ago. The more popular bajaj -- the noisy three-wheeled motorized pedicabs -- are plentiful. Taxis, ojek sepeda (bicycle taxis) and ojek (motorcycle taxis) are also available. Recently, air taxis were even introduced, ready to take wealthy passengers on a fast ride to their destination.

In addition, commuter trains operate in outer-Jakarta. In economy class trains, hundreds of people crowd the carriages -- they don't just cling to the doors but sit on the roof. A number of reasonably comfortable express trains are also emerging. Good news for those residents who are tired of terrible traffic jams and lousy public transport. Unfortunately, the number of such trains is limited and they do not serve many routes.

The condition is worsened by the lack of an integrated transportation policy, concerning many Jakartans. Traffic congestion often occurs in the city, forcing people to spend hours on the road in a state of stress.

In order to ease traffic jams on the main thoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin, the city administration has implemented the three-in-one policy, which requires at least three people to travel in every vehicle. This applies from Monday through until Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. However, its success is questionable, as many people are willing to pose as passengers for a small fee. Some motorists deliberately violate the rule. They have no fear because they believe that -- if they are caught -- the police can be bribed to "settle" the matter.

Another fact that contributes to chronic traffic jams in the city -- the nightmare of its residents -- is the lack of a Mass Rapid Transport system (MRT).

Both the central government and the city administration had long intended to build an MRT system. A number of plans were drafted. However, none materialized due to various reasons, including financial constraints.

Last year, the city administration took the residents by surprise with the announcement of its intention to build a busway system. Initially, a special lane was to be designated for 60 buses to run a 12.9-kilometer route from Blok M to Kota. Passengers would pay a fare of Rp 3,000.

Originally scheduled to be operational in December 2002, the busway system has been canceled several times due to poor planning. A number of changes have been made and additional budgets requested. The city administration initially said that the project would cost Rp 50 billion. But the figure was revised to total Rp 85 billion and later, in June, the administration claimed an additional Rp 32 billion was needed. The project, called Bus Rapid Transit, is expected to begin operating by the end of the year and will fully operate by 2010.

Recently, the city administration revealed its plans to develop a monorail. The project is proposed to be developed by Indonesian Transit Central -- a consortium comprising of a Malaysian firm, MTrans Holding, and its local partners PT Adhi Karya, Global Profex Synergy and Radiant Utama. The Malaysian firm will invest Rp 3.28 trillion (US$400 million) in the first phase of the project.

The monorail is intended to link Bekasi in the east and Tangerang in the west. The project encapsulates three phases.

In the first phase, investors will build a rail from Kampung Melayu terminal in East Jakarta heading to Roxy in West Jakarta. Another will pass through Jl. HR Rasuna Said, Jl. Gatot Subroto, the Sudirman Central Business District, Senayan, Pejompongan and Setiabudi. In total, the rail will cover about 24 kilometers.

The second phase will link Kampung Melayu with Bekasi, (a 25 kilometer distance). The third, another 25-kilometer line running from Roxy to Tangerang.

The first phase will commence in December and is expected to be completed within two and a half years.

A passenger will be charged about Rp 12,000 per trip, which is quite expensive compared with the current public transportation fares, which range from Rp 1,000 to Rp 6,000.

It is expected that both the busway and the monorail will help resolve the traffic problems in the city. But not everybody is happy at the prospect.

"There is no integration between one transportation mode and the others. They are planned separately," urban observer Marco Kusumawijaya said in a recent interview with The Jakarta Post.

The message is clear. A comprehensive, integrated transportation system is paramount in efforts to address the woes of commuters.