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eputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama defended the city administration'€™s decision to go ahead with a plan to construct six elevated toll roads that critics have deemed unnecessary.

'€œThere is no way to cope with the ever-increasing number of vehicles in the capital without building new roads or applying policies that will limit vehicles, such as a progressive tax. Even if we don'€™t add the [toll] roads, will the number of cars not [still continue to] increase?'€ he told reporters at City Hall
on Wednesday.

Ahok said that other policies to limit vehicles, including electronic road pricing (ERP) and applying an expensive parking tariff, could be applied, under certain conditions.

'€œWe should have sufficient public transportation,'€ he said.

Ahok pointed out that stakeholders, including project developer PT Jakarta Tollroad Development (JTD) and urban planning groups, had previously agreed that two of the six toll roads '€” namely the Semanan-Sunter toll road that would connect West and North Jakarta and the Sunter-Pulogebang toll road that would connect North and East Jakarta '€” were necessary to support logistics.

'€œThe developer had actually expected to build just these two because they were the most profitable. But the two toll roads can'€™t actually stand alone because they are part of a network of six,'€ he said.

Ahok pointed out that he had agreed to the six toll roads because the developer had agreed to provide special lanes for Transjakarta buses.

'€œNow we will have six new Transjakarta corridors,'€ he said, adding that he had also requested that the construction be completed within three years.

'€œOtherwise, the city would take over the toll roads and turn them into ERP roads. This way, we can limit cars as well as earn more revenue,'€ he said.

Ahok said that he would extend debates over the plan.

'€œIf I decided not to build the toll roads and traffic jams remained an issue, would they not criticize me? My every move will be an object of criticism,'€ he said.

'€œI wonder why they didn'€™t respond to our plan to procure 100 double-decker buses which would operate for free for low- to middle-income residents?'€

Experts have strongly objected to a decision made by the city administration to proceed with the project, which was first initiated during the term of then governor Sutiyoso in 2007.

They argued that the toll roads would not ease the traffic congestion that had worsened, as new social and environmental problems would be created.

Activist Firdaus Cahyadi, who represents Jakarta residents, has initiated a petition to reject the city'€™s decision on change.org. Thus far, Firdaus has collected more than 4,000 signatures.

Echoing the sentiments of urban activists, Firdaus said that the construction of new toll roads would only benefit the wealthy.

'€œThe city should only focus on public transportation projects like the MRT [mass rapid transit] and not interrupt those projects with the toll roads'€™ construction,'€ he said.

Responding to the city'€™s plan to provide free-of-charge double-decker public buses, he said '€œit is a good plan. But it is not only about providing free public transportation. The city should also guarantee its sustainability,'€ he said.

Firdaus planned to submit the petition to the city administration, the Public Works Ministry, as well as to the lenders slated to finance the Rp 42 trillion (US$3.6 billion) project.

The construction of the toll roads, which would connect all five municipalities in Jakarta, would be divided into three stages.

The first phase of the construction would also include a 9.4-kilometer road from Sunter to Pulogebang, East Jakarta.

Routes from Duri Pulo, Central Jakarta, to Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta, and from Kampung Melayu to Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, were planned for the second phase.

The third phase of the project would connect Ulujami, South Jakarta, to Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, while the fourth would connect Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, with the Casablanca area of South Jakarta.