J

akarta Governor Anies Baswedan inaugurated on Tuesday the revamped Kramat Jati wholesale market in East Jakarta, which had been undergoing renovations since 2015.

During the ceremony, Anies said the revitalization project was aimed at improving the traditional market’s image to attract more shoppers.

“Traditional markets have their own charm. They sell everything that people need, they are usually situated near residential areas and shoppers can bargain on the prices,” he said as reported by the city’s official website, ppid.jakarta.go.id.

“A clean market with decent toilets can give more comfort for both shoppers and sellers,” he added.

The revitalization of the 18-hectare market, Anies said, was a large job, as the city needed to add many public facilities and repair many of the market’s elements.

PD Pasar Jaya executive director Arief Nasrudin said the renovation project cost around Rp 27.1 billion (US$1.86 million), “because we not only revitalized the market but also the parking lot”.