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lack of basic infrastructure has delayed the Jakarta administration’s plan to stop on-street parking on two of the city’s most crowded streets.

In the six months since planning to make Jl. Gajah Mada and Jl. Hayam Wuruk in Central Jakarta the pilot sites for enforcing the on-street parking ban, not even the traffic signs were prepared as of Tuesday — one day ahead of the planned project inauguration — let alone other infrastructure such as sidewalks to and from the parking garages.

Sr. Comr. Royke, head of the Jakarta Traffic Police Division, said on Tuesday that the city was still working to erect electronic signs that would show the number of spaces available in the parking garages.

“We are still making final adjustments here and there. We are expecting to begin the ban later in June,” Royke said.

The parking ban on the two streets, located within one of the city’s busiest and oldest business districts, would be the pilot project for a more comprehensive on-street parking moratorium.

The administration expected to apply a complete ban of on-street parking starting in January.

A Jakarta administration survey found that the two streets could accommodate up to 580 cars parked on the roadsides.

The administration expected to move parking inside area shopping complexes, which reportedly have a total capacity of 6,233 cars and 4,564 motorcycles.

However, Riza Hasim, deputy chief of the Jakarta Transportation Agency, promised that the ban would begin in June.

The agency reported that the parking garages adjacent to the commercial buildings in the city were structurally capable of handling the parking demand.

The garages are in Gajah Mada Plaza, Duta Merlin, Plaza Hayam Wuruk, Glodok Plaza and Lindeteves shopping centers, BTN Tower, PT Pelni office building, Mediterania Apartment Tower and the Jayakarta and Mercure Hotels.

Later on Tuesday, Muslikh Zainal Asikin, of the Indonesian Transportation Society, criticized the city for failing to coordinate its agencies to work together on the ban.

“Better sidewalks for pedestrians on both of the streets, for example, have yet to be provided,” Muslikh said.

Separately, Maria, an official of the Jakarta Cemetery and Parks Agency, said the agency was still working to repair the sidewalks in preparation for the parking ban.

“The sidewalks are currently occupied by street vendors and also used as illegal parking spaces,” she said.

Maria said there were also many large, ill-placed flower pots that had been put there by local sub-district officials.

“These pots create obstacles for pedestrians. We are coordinating with local officials to remove them,” she said.