T

he Greater Jakarta Transportation Agency (BPTJ) has urgently called for its integration plan on public transportation to quickly materialize to reduce traffic congestion in the capital, deemed by many as having the world’s worst gridlock.

However, the agency has for years failed to conclude the planning process, as it has faced several obstacles, including a lack of space and lack of coordination with related institutions.

The agency is looking to integrate 17 train stations in Greater Jakarta with the Transjakarta bus service so that passengers will be able to be picked up after train trips.

BPTJ program planning department head Tonny Agus Setiono said the Tanah Abang, Manggarai, Depok Baru, Palmerah, Tebet and Klender stations were among those to be included in the plan.

Citing as a challenge in realizing the plan, he said drivers of alternative modes of transportation, like ojek (motorcycle taxi) and bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicle), frequently waited for commuter line passengers near the stations, resulting in an increase in traffic congestion.

To resolve the issue, the agency has looked into establishing pick-up spots designated for such
drivers.

The BPTJ and the Jakarta Transportation Agency have thus far set up an ojek pick-up spot in Blora Market, Menteng, Central Jakarta, for passengers exiting at Sudirman Station.

However, even with the new addition, some ojek drivers say the space is too small to accommodate them. Hence, many drivers continue to park in front of the station’s entrance, causing severe traffic congestion and, in several cases, the seizure of their motorbikes by Transportation Agency officers patrolling the area.

“We will try to resolve problems at other stations,” Tonny said on the sidelines of a discussion on the integration plan in Jakarta on Thursday.

Under the plan, Transjakarta buses are expected to park close to stations to allow passengers to make transfers without having to walk too far, a change that experts have said could decrease private vehicle use.

The technical and facility director of commuter train operator Kereta Api Commuter Indonesia (KCI), Fredi Firmansyah, said such changes were necessary because the number of train passengers had increased significantly every year, so they needed alternative transportation options.

According to KCI data, the commuter line served 315.8 million passengers last year, an increase of 11 percent from 280.6 million passengers in 2016. In 2015, the company served 257.5 million passengers.

In its proposal to the Transportation Agency in July, the KCI listed 32 stations that would be integrated with other modes of transportation.

“We recorded the number of people arriving at those stations and most of the passengers [switched to other modes of transportation],” Fredi said, adding that the 17 stations that fell under the BPTJ plan were part of the list of 32.

With many people taking commuter lines to travel around Greater Jakarta, stations are often reported as disorganized and the source of traffic congestion due to the influx of commuters.

During peak hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Tanah Abang Station sees an average of nearly 30,000 passengers per day, the highest of the 75 stations in the metropolitan area, followed by Pasar Minggu Station with 7,000 passengers and Cakung Station with over 6,000 passengers, according to KCI data.