H

undreds of traders at the Benhil Market in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta, are set to relocate to a temporary market nearby after the Idul Fitri holiday as a market revitalization program is set to begin.

The three-story temporary market, built adjacent to the existing Benhil Market, is still unready to be opened, but a number of vendors have already begun sprucing up their new kiosks.

'€œThere'€™s no electricity and water yet and the kiosks still need renovation. I have two separate kiosks so I need to demolish the separator before I can use the whole space,'€ Khairul, a vendor who owns four kiosks at the old market, told The Jakarta Post while checking out his new kiosks on Thursday.

Khairul said that he had allocated at least Rp 1 million (US$75) to spruce up his space.

'€œI still need to re-tile the floor and install a secure lock,'€ he added.

Meanwhile, Atin, a school uniform seller, said she spent up to Rp 7 million to beautify her kiosks, including building new clothing racks.

'€œIt'€™s all out of my own pocket,'€ she said, '€œbut that'€™s fine because kiosk rent payments have all been waived.'€

Atin pointed out that most vendors had already agreed to relocate to the temporary market where they are not required to pay rent as stipulated in the agreement between vendors and the city-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya.

'€œWe still have to pay monthly electricity and water bills though,'€ she said.

Sharing her sentiment, Arifin, another vendor, said that he had also agreed to the terms and conditions, because '€œthe old building was just too shabby.'€

Atin emphasized that she would rather pay for the renovating costs than seek another location to resume her business.

'€œI already have regular customers and Benhil is a very good location for business. I am sure that the market will be even busier after the revitalization,'€ she said.

At least 600 vendors at the old market '€” some of whom own more than one kiosk '€” will occupy the 512 kiosks at the temporary market.

Benhil Market head Effendi has previously said that the vendors are scheduled to stay at the temporary market for three years before relocating to the new Benhil Market.

The Benhil Market, which was built in 1974, is set to be redeveloped as part of a city administration program to revitalize traditional markets in the capital. In the compound, Pasar Jaya will build a modern market equipped with a hotel and an office complex.

The market operator has appointed private developer PT Kurnia Realty Jaya and state-owned developer PT Wijaya Karya Realty (Wika Realty) as the project guarantor to realize the project, which will cost Rp 1.2 trillion. The project is expected to be completed in 2017.