To counter the future growth in the number of vehicles in the capital, the Jakarta administration is planning to self-finance six new highways worth Rp 23 trillion (US$2.4 billion).
Despite a limited infrastructure budget, the administration plans to fund the projects through a self-financing mechanism.
Jakarta administration secretary Muhayat said Thursday the city would ask state-owned enterprises to invest in the projects.
"Certain profitable and publicly listed companies could support the projects," he said, refusing to name any company.
The city's plan runs counter to a 2007 presidential decree regulating investment.
The decree stipulates that the project owner is only allowed to build 10 percent of the project's total infrastructure, while the remaining 90 percent should be built by the central government.
"The decree is an obstacle, so we have a fight on our hands," said Muhayat, adding the administration requested responsibility for 63 percent of the construction.
The city administration expects to earn more revenue by operating its own toll roads and is holding meetings with the central government on the issue.
Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo previously said the toll road project would be conducted in phases.
The six planned toll roads are Kampung Melayu-Kemayoran, Pasar Minggu-Casablanca, Kampung Melayu-Duri Pulo, Pulogebang-Sunter, Ulujami-Tanah Abang and Semanan-Sunter.
Fauzi said areas with good basic public transportation, like Kampung Melayu-Gunung Sahari-Kemayoran, might be prioritized.
A 2004 study of the city's transportation master plan predicted that unless the government made drastic improvements, there would be 6.8 million new vehicles and 90 percent of Jakarta's the central business district would be clogged by 2020.
Commuters would spend more time on the road as average speeds would fall to a maximum of 24.6 kilometers per hour.
- JP/Niken Prathivi
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