Work on overpasses to begin in April

JAKARTA (JP): Construction of seven overpasses in the capital will start in April at the earliest, an official announced on Tuesday.

Spokesman for the city administration, Muhayat, said the construction projects of three of the overpasses would cost the city authorities around Rp 50 billion. The other projects would be funded by the state budget.

Muhayat said the city financed overpasses were situated in Penggilingan area in East Jakarta, Kalibata in South Jakarta, and Galur area of Jl. Suprapto in Central Jakarta.

The construction projects in Penggilingan and Kalibata will cost Rp 20 billion each, according to Muhayat.

He said the projects would not require people to sell their plots, allowing the city administration to save money and avoid land disputes commonly occurring in the past.

The road construction projects will be offered to developers through a public tender.

The government-funded flyover projects will be constructed near Cempaka Putih crossroad in Central Jakarta; in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta; Tanjung Barat, South Jakarta and between Jl. Pramuka and Jl. Pemuda in East Jakarta.

City Council's Head of Commission D on development affairs, Sayogo Hendrosubroto, praised the road projects, saying they would help the city administration solve traffic congestion.

"Due to their importance, the city council will tighten its supervision of the projects," Sayogo said.

He added that the city administration would help the central government when construction of the four overpasses commenced.

Chief of the city's land transportation office, Buyung Atang, said earlier that the city administration would propose an overpass near Pulogadung bus terminal in East Jakarta.

In response to the plan, Sayogo said the council has yet to receive any proposal on the construction plan.

He also said an overpass would be less valuable if the bus terminal, the cause of the notorious traffic problems in the area, was moved to Pulogebang near Bekasi in West Java.

The city administration has approved the removal of the overcrowded terminal and construction of the new terminal will start late this year. (04)