T

he Jakarta administration’s plan to raise sidewalks along the business district of Jl. Gajah Mada and Jl. Hayam Wuruk in Central and West Jakarta is strongly opposed by local parking attendants, street vendors and shop owners.

Coordinator of the Gajah Mada and Hayam Wuruk Solidarity Forum of Parking Attendants, Street Vendors and Small Businesses (Sojupek) Lieus Sungkharisma said that the plan, slated to be implemented in early August, would further damage businesses there, which had been hit hard by last year’s ban on on-street parking.

According to him, the revenues of the businesses on the two streets have plunged by 30 to 50 percent due to the ban, and could drop further because customers would not be able to park their vehicles on the sidewalks anymore.

“The city administration should develop these areas into a Chinatown to attract tourists. But by banning on-street parking and raising the sidewalks, they will kill the Chinatown spirit instead,” he told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Lieus also criticized the administration for not consulting with local people and business owners in the areas before formulating the plan.

“They didn’t ask for our opinions. They just informed us about the plan when it had already been formulated. The same thing happened last year when the city administration enacted the parking ban,” he added.

The Pedestrian Coalition, however, said that the pavement raising would actually support Hayam Wuruk and Gajah Mada as tourist spots, as pedestrians would be more comfortable shopping there.

“Just look at successful shopping districts that cater to tourists in other countries. They usually forbid vehicles from entering the area so people can shop in peace,” the coalition co-founder Ahmad Syafrudin said on Wednesday.

With more pedestrians passing through the streets, businesses in Hayam Wuruk and Gajah Mada will actually grow, according to Ahmad. “If people shop in those areas by car and motorcycle, they would usually visit just one place. But if they go on foot, they will more likely visit several places,” he added.

Lieus said if the administration proceeded with the plan, Sojupek would file a lawsuit next week, because the sidewalks belonged to the owners of the shops and buildings there. “Even the head of the Jakarta Parks and Cemetery Agency, Catharina Suryowati, has acknowledged to us that the agency has no right to use the pavement without our consent,” he added. The agency was not available for comment on the matter.

Catharina said recently that the raising of the sidewalks along both streets, which run parallel to each other and are separated by a tributary canal of the Ciliwung River, was aimed at deterring motorcycles and cars from trespassing onto them.

The agency also plans to expand the sidewalks from 1 to 5 meters, similar to those on Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Jend. Sudirman, by converting part of the streets into sidewalks. The raising and expansion of the sidewalks from Harmoni to Kota will reportedly cost Rp 12 billion (US$1.27 million). (han)