Two megaprojects finally included in revised plan
JAKARTA (JP): Two widely publicized megaprojects -- the three- tier transit system and the Manggarai integrated terminal -- have finally been included in the revised 1997-2020 spatial plan, a city official said yesterday.
Neither project was included in the presentation of the revised plan in May, the head of the City's Development Planning Board, Budihardjo Sukmadi, said.
"The revision of the plan is expected to be completed in the middle of next month and will be presented to Governor Surjadi Soedirdja," Budihardjo told reporters after a coordination meeting on the city's development at City Hall.
He said the two projects were to be finally included after a thorough consideration on their capacity to help solve Jakarta's complicated traffic problems.
In May's presentation, two other megaprojects: the US$2.3 billion subway connecting Blok M in South Jakarta and downtown Kota and the reclamation of North Jakarta bay, were added to the plan.
The revised 1997-2010 spatial plan, which will replace the current 1985-2005 plan, is designed to accommodate new development needs in the city.
Budihardjo said that the consortium in charge of building the $285 million Manggarai integrated terminal had yet to present the project's details to the administration. "We expect the details soon," he said.
Work on both the Rp 6.05 trillion (US$2.01 billion) three-tier transit system and the Manggarai terminal is scheduled to start in December this year.
The construction of the three-tier transit system connecting Bintaro in South Jakarta and downtown Kota is expected to start in Bintaro, South Jakarta, and to be completed by 2001.
Joint venture
The system is to be built by joint venture company PT Citramoda Margakencana Persada, which consists of PT Citra Lamtoro Gung Persada -- owned by President Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana -- state-owned railway company Perumka and state-owned highway corporation PT Jasa Marga.
The Manggarai integrated transport proposal, which is also being advanced by Mrs. Rukmana, was first presented to the President in 1995.
Under the plan, the existing terminal is to be turned into a four-story station with 22 tracks, four underground express lines and an intercity bus terminal.
The revised spatial plan has to be approved by the governor, City Council Speaker Edy Waluyo and Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. before it becomes official.
Budihardjo said that Surjadi, whose term of office end on Oct. 5, has still to present the spatial plan to the City Council.
"But as it will take some time for the council members to evaluate the plan, the new plan is likely to be approved by the new governor," Budihardjo said.
In yesterday's meeting, Governor Surjadi told the heads of the city's projects not to "force" the administration to give priority in financing their projects due to the current financial crisis.
"This 1997/1998 fiscal year is very hard for us. That is why we have to evaluate the budget and give priority to certain development projects," he said.
He said that he was not very optimistic about the current monetary crisis.
"Some businesspeople I called told me that the situation was awful. So, you could imagine our difficult situation. Usually, those people were very optimistic," Surjadi said.
The administration was currently making an inventory of all city projects, which will be presented to the governor next month.
Surjadi also lamented officials who applied double standards in executing development project.
"There is always a difference between the plan and reality. If it doesn't change, don't expect us to win the competition in global market," he said. (ste/07)