Today
Jakarta
- 29 °C
Other Publications
On toll rise
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 09/06/2007 3:02 PM | Opinion
This letter is to respond to the reaction of Hermanto Dardak, the Bina Marga director general at the Public Works Ministry, to public protests over the increase in turnpike fees.
He said the function of a turnpike is basically for those who take long journeys.
If he was referring to the use of the turnpike in general, he is very right, because everywhere in the world the function of turnpikes is for long journeys.
But in Jakarta, the case is very different. To my knowledge in others countries, we will not find toll roads within city limits.
We only find what are called highways for the use of the general public to reach their destination without the hassles of traffic congestion, and more importantly they can use them without having to pay.
Turnpikes are built to connect cities and states. Jakarta does not have highways since in its surrounding were built toll roads and their users have to pay higher and higher fees.
The existence of turnpikes around Jakarta therefore has taken away public space from the people of Jakarta.
Hermanto continued his comment by saying that if people object to the higher turnpike fees for short distances, they do not have to use the turnpike.
My question for him is whether he has a way out for the hundreds of thousands of people to deal with the notorious Jakarta traffic jams.
Jakarta's narrow roads, which are already heavily congested, has become narrower and more congested due to the presence of the busway.
The busway has made our traffic jams more terrible since it has not been able to fully accommodate public needs for safe, fast and convenient public transportation.
I cannot do anything other than say that Dardak's statement is full of arrogance and without any empathy for the fate of Jakarta's common people.
A. DAHANA
Lecturer
University of Indonesia
Jakarta
