W

omen in Jakarta understand how challenging it is to walk in high heels on the city’s sidewalks, which are uneven and full of gaps.

Uly Simamora, 24, a private company employee who works on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, Central Jakarta, said she always carried sneakers or flat shoes in her bag to change into before heading out to the SCBD area from her office to buy lunch.

The sidewalk that she passes every day is made of cement, a material that leaves marks on her shoes.

“It’s so troublesome that I have to change shoes if I need to go out from the office. However, I have no choice. The poorly built sidewalks once badly scratched my high heels,” Uly said on Wednesday.

Olivia Nia, 24, a lawyer who works in Kuningan, South Jakarta, echoed the sentiment, saying she changed from sandals into high heels whenever she wanted to buy lunch around her office.

The uneven surface of the sidewalks near her office made it difficult for her to keep her balance while walking in nine-centimeter high heels.

“I almost fell a couple of times while walking in high-heels on the sidewalk,” she said.

Their frustration may soon end with the Jakarta administration promising “high-heel friendly” sidewalks as part of its plan to revamp the city’s sidewalks.

This year, the Jakarta administration, through the Bina Marga road agency, will develop 80 kilometers of sidewalk, allocating Rp 412 billion (US$30.9 million) from the city budget.

The agency is in charge of developing 24 kilometers of sidewalk, while the rest will be developed by Bina Marga sub-agencies at the municipality level.

Riri Asnita, the planning division head of Jakarta’s Bina Marga road agency, said that to ensure the sidewalks were solid and flat, they would be developed with stamped concrete and floor hardeners.

The existing sidewalks were mostly made from paving blocks that formed uneven sidewalks due to the city’s uneven land contour, she said.

Therefore, the construction of sidewalks using the new materials should result in proper sidewalks that cater not only to the needs of women in high heels but all residents, Riri said.

“Our target is to provide all Jakartans, including children, the elderly, women and disabled people, with comfortable sidewalks,” she added.

The agency expects the project to be finished at the end of the year.

The head of road infrastructure and utilization at Bina Marga’s North Jakarta branch, Libertus Sagata, said the agency would revamp nine kilometers of sidewalk in six districts in the municipality.

The sidewalks will be expanded to three to six meters in width depending on the amount of land available and the conditions of the traffic lanes.

The agency is currently developing sidewalks along Jl. Eggano, Tanjung Priok; Jl. Pluit Raya 1, Penjaringan; Jl. Cilincing Kelapa, Cilincing; Jl. Gunung Sahari, Pademangan; Jl. Kramat Jaya, Koja; and Jl. Yos Sudarso and Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Kelapa Gading.

Separately, Bina Marga’s Central Jakarta head of road facilities and utilities, Bogi Widiatmaji, said 19 km of sidewalk in the area would be decorated with stones and lined with patterns, while floor guides would be included for the visually impaired.

Furthermore, utility boxes will be installed to improve the city’s underground utilities, such as underground cables.

To help improve the sidewalks, the city administration has prevented street vendors and motorcyclists from encroaching on the sidewalks.

During “Bulan Patuh Trotoar” (Orderly Sidewalk Month) in August, for instance, thousands of sidewalk violators were given warnings by the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP).