T

he Jakarta administration has instructed developer PT Jakarta Tollroad Development (JTD) to complete the construction of six planned toll roads by the end of 2017.

Construction of the controversial roads, which was first planned in 2007 by then-governor Sutiyoso, is scheduled to start in 2015. The toll roads are designed to connect five of Jakarta'€™s municipalities.

JTD is a consortium consisting of several state-owned enterprises including PT Hutama Karya, PT Pembangunan Perumahan, PT Wijaya Karya, PT Adhi Karya, PT Jakarta Propertindo and PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada.

According to regional secretary Saefullah, the city administration and the developer are currently drafting a cooperation agreement.

It had been planned that the toll roads would be built in three or four phases, with the roads slated to be in full operation by 2022. However, Saefullah said that such an arrangement would not be effective and would take too long to complete.

As such, the city administration has demanded that the developer complete the project by the end of 2017. He added that the city had also demanded a special lane for the TransJakarta busway on each toll road. '€œIf not, the deal is off,'€ he told reporters at City Hall in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

Saefullah further said that the city administration would set aside around Rp 3 trillion (US$255.7 million) in the 2015 local budget (APBD) for land acquisition.

'€œWe still need to acquire some plots of land for the toll roads. We will set aside Rp 3 trillion from next year'€™s APBD so that the Public Works Agency can quickly get to work,'€ he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama said that the developer must also build decent TransJakarta shelters with easy access for commuters.

'€œThey must build elevators or escalators at each bus shelter,'€ Ahok told reporters at City Hall.

He added that if by the end of 2017 the developer had failed to complete construction, the city administration would take over the project.

'€œThey must finish by the end of 2017. I won'€™t take no for an answer,'€ Ahok said. He had previously aimed for the completion of all infrastructure projects in the city before Jakarta hosts the Asian Games in 2018.

Experts have strongly objected to the city administration'€™s decision to proceed with the project. They argued that the toll roads would not ease worsening congestion, as new social and environmental problems will be created.

The six toll roads would connect Sunter in North Jakarta to Pulogebang in East Jakarta; Duri Pulo in Central Jakarta to Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta; Kampung Melayu to Kemayoran in Central Jakarta; Ulujami in South Jakarta to Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta; and Pasar Minggu to Casablanca in South Jakarta.

'€œThe developer is also obliged to develop a road connecting Casablanca to Beji in Bekasi, West Java,'€ Ahok said.

The construction of the 69.7 kilometers of toll road would involve an investment of Rp 42 trillion.

Planning expert Yayat Supriatna has said that the toll road construction was actually in violation of the 2012 Spatial Planning bylaw.

According to Article 29 of the bylaw, toll roads can be built only if several conditions are fulfilled. These conditions include the optimal operation of 12 Transjakarta bus corridors and their feeders, a well-prepared traffic management strategy at each location and a preparation plan for integrating toll roads with adjacent public transportation.

Another expert, Elisa Sutanudjaja, claimed the toll roads would not ease congestion and would also affect thousands of families and several businesses since the roads would mostly be elevated and pass through densely populated areas and commercial zones.