U

nlike most train stations across Greater Jakarta, Sudirman Station in South Jakarta provides space for UMKM (micro, small and medium enterprises).

State-owned train company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) attempted to improve its services by removing all vendors from stations in Greater Jakarta to increase space for passengers and to provide more parking areas as part of its efforts to reach a target of 1.2 million passengers by 2018.

The spaces where the vendors used to trade are now occupied by major franchise stores and chain restaurants. For example, the Jakarta Kota train station in West Jakarta is dominated by shops such as Starbucks, Dunkin'€™ Donuts, A&W and 7-Eleven.

A similar scene can be seen at Manggarai train station in South Jakarta, where 7-Eleven and KFC operate.

At Sudirman station, however, a handful of UMKM vendors can be seen operating among the chains and franchises.

Located between two popular convenience stores, 7-Eleven and Alfamart, seven UMKM vendors operate in a modest 168-square meter installation.

The vendors sell a variety of local food, such as gorengan (fried snacks), bakso (meatballs), mie ayam (chicken noodles), bubur ayam (chicken porridge) and nasi uduk (coconut rice).

The vendors have been given a strategic location, near the entrance and right next to the lockets.

One kiosk owner, Ucok Hasian, said that he and six other vendors were among those who were evicted from the station in 2010.

'€œIn 2000, I started selling on the platform. There were only three to five vendors back then. By 2010, there were about 80 vendors. It became crowded and KAI eventually evicted us,'€ Ucok told The Jakarta Post.

Ucok, who sold bakso, said that he lost his source of income and became desperate.

'€œTherefore, the other six vendors and I wrote a proposal to KAI asking for a space in Sudirman Station. We told them that we would pay rent and that we'€™d build our own space with our own money. They accepted,'€ he said.

Furthermore, he said, KAI required the vendors to keep the kiosks clean at all times, put up plants around their kiosks and not disturb passengers. They must also use electric stoves to avoid accidents.

The seven of them now pay rent of Rp 200 million (US$ 16,969) every three years, roughly Rp 10 million per year for each vendor.

Ucok said that his net income could reach Rp 10 million a month.

Another vendor, Yuni, who sells nasi uduk, said that when she sold on the platform, she and the other vendors only had to pay Rp 150,000 per month to the station head for '€œrent'€.

'€œWe pay more now. However, it'€™s worth it because we have a steady income and a nice place to sell,'€ she said.

Meanwhile, passenger Adelia Arini, who stopped by a vendor to buy a grilled sausage, said that the vendors added '€œflavor'€ to the station.

'€œIf you look around here, there are only convenience stores and one bakery. However, these vendors offer tastier and more affordable food,'€ she said.

PT KAI'€™s Operation Region I Jakarta representative, Agus Komarudin, said that there were only a few stations in Jakarta with such an arrangement.

'€œThere is a similar arrangement in Gambir Station in Central Jakarta. Our stations are open for anyone to do business, even UMKM vendors, as long as they are clean, able to pay rent and have a defined management. If they can fulfill all those requirements, we will let them operate in any station,'€ he said.