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n rehabilitating Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta, Deputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama said he would include the shutting down of the Bongkaran red-light district in the area as part of the plan.

Ahok said on Tuesday he had instructed Central Jakarta Mayor Saefullah to close the place as soon as he had finished moving street vendors to the market'€™s Blok G.

'€œBut I have instructed the mayor to look into this matter. He knows the time line for when the place will be closed, it'€™s all scheduled,'€ he added.

Ahok said many residents in the vicinity had been complaining about the existence of Bongkaran.

Abraham Lunggana, a United Development Party (PPP) politician with the City Council, who is also a figure in Tanah Abang, said activity in the red-light district had been halted before Ramadhan.

However, locals said the practice was still ongoing.

Bongkaran is located next to the railway in the market, on the southern side of the market'€™s Blok G.

The name derives from the word bongkar, which means removal. Local residents said the vacant lot was used as a garage for old train cars.

The administration has attempted dozens of removals since the 1980s, when the location was still relatively small, but has always failed.

Supani, 69, an owner of two discotheques, a beverage stall and dozens of rooms in Bongkaran, gave the cold shoulder when asked about the city'€™s plan to close the location. The mother of nine children who has been doing business in the area since 1961 said she had seen some attempts to close the area.

'€œThey should not tear down my buildings. I have two IMBs [building permits] and I pay taxes,'€ she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

She said many buildings along Jl. Jembatan Tinggi, including her businesses, were relatively new. The owners rebuilt the buildings after fire razed the area in January this year.

Umi, a 37-year-old prostitute who rented a room in the area, said she had no idea what to do if the city went ahead with its plan.

'€œMany people here borrowed money to rebuild this area after the fire. My friends and I even slept on the street after the fire. I don'€™t know what to do. I'€™m helpless,'€ she said.

As the city administration has been trying to move the street vendors in the area to the Blok G building, some complained that selling near a red-light district might cause them bad fortune.

The administration resumed its plan to relocate all street vendors around the market to the building on Sunday, with hundreds of Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) personnel demolishing the vendors'€™ illegal kiosks.