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Unfinished skybridge opens for vendors
Line up: A worker walks near stalls being prepared for street vendors on the Tanah Abang skybridge in Jakarta on Monday
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ine up: A worker walks near stalls being prepared for street vendors on the Tanah Abang skybridge in Jakarta on Monday.(JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
The highly anticipated skybridge in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, aimed at providing a space for vendors trading in the closed section of Jl. Jatibaru Raya, is open for business, allowing vehicles to once again to pass the busy road.
City-owned developer PD Pembangunan Sarana Jaya conducted a soft launch of the new bridge on Monday. The space, which connects Tanah Abang railway station to the Tanah Abang textile market, will be the new place of business for some 100 merchants selling various products.
However, construction of a canopy above Jl. Jatibaru has not been fully completed yet. During the event, access to stairs connecting the skybridge to the train station were still covered by sheet metal, while construction workers could be seen installing rails around the bridge.
Street vendor Anissa said she could not wait to run her business of selling clothes in the skybridge. She expressed relief over not having to sell on the road again, particularly under the heat of the sun or threat of rain.
“It is connected to Tanah Abang train station; I hope this will attract more buyers to my stall and eventually increase profit,” she told The Jakarta Post.
PD Pembangunan Sarana Jaya aimed to complete construction and fully open the skybridge on Oct. 30, said the firm’s president director, Yoory C. Pinontoan.
Once complete, it will connect the famous textile market, Tanah Abang train station and a TransJakarta bus stop, with vendors lining up in the middle. The city administration has selected 446 out of 650 vendors from Jl. Jatibaru to occupy the skybridge. The remaining 204 will be relocated to Blok F of the textile center.
As 100 vendors had moved on Monday, the remaining 346 will gradually move to the bridge until its official launch.
“We have to ensure the skybridge’s safety first before letting people move there. But I guarantee that construction will be complete by the end of this month,” Yoori said.
To cover operational expenses such as electricity and cleaning services, the company will charges the merchants a monthly fee of Rp 500,000 (US$32.91) or Rp 16,000 daily. CCTV cameras will also be installed for security.
From October to December, Yoory said, merchants can enjoy the new facility for free; the company will also start collecting the fees in January 2019.
Central Jakarta Mayor Bayu Megantara said the soft launch also marked the start of a trial run of the skybridge’s operations.
“Today [Monday], we had a soft launch so we can asses parts of the bridge. Should there be any problem, we can immediately work to solve it,” he said.
The 12.6-meter-wide skybridge stretches 386.4 m above Jl. Jatibaru. The city allocated Rp 3.5 billion for the project, which commenced construction on Aug. 3.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan had decided last year to close and reserve a section of the road for street vendors. The decision sparked public outcry, with Ombudsman Indonesia saying it was maladministration for violating national traffic laws on road functions.
As the skybridge is now open, Ombudsman Jakarta representative Teguh Nugroho urged the city administration to open Jl. Jatibaru for motorists as soon as possible. The city must also prevent new vendors from selling their goods on its sidewalks again.
“From now on, the road should be free from street vendors, so that traffic can flow smoothly,” Teguh said.
Meanwhile, Jakarta Transportation Agency acting head Sigit Widjatmoko said his office would fully open the road once construction of the skybridge was complete. At the time being, the agency will first allow motorcycles to pass before gradually opening the road to all vehicles, including bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicle) and angkot (minibus).
“We will first limit the vehicles. We have to make sure everything is safe because there is still construction on site,” he said as reported by kompas.com.
