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Streets of Tanah Abang remain alluring for vendors, buyers
Hundreds of people swarm Tanah Abang Skybridge in Central Jakarta every day
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span>Hundreds of people swarm Tanah Abang Skybridge in Central Jakarta every day. The facility serves pedestrians as well as vendors, whose shops line the middle showcasing their goods to potential buyers. Yet, the relocated vendors are missing the time when they were down on the streets, where they say they had more customers.
The new bridge accommodates 446 vendors, who were relocated there after previously selling on the streets and causing traffic congestion in the area. Their relocation was part of the city administration’s plan to manage the chaotic and jam-packed area around Southeast Asia’s biggest textile market.
On the Skybridge, the vendors sell anything from clothing and accessories to perfume and snacks.
However, some vendors claimed that few people shopped on the 400-meter-long bridge connecting Tanah Abang Station with the famous market. Those on the Skybridge were mostly passersby, who either wanted to shop at Tanah Abang Market or walk to the railway or the nearby bus station.
Irwansyah, 38, who has sold Muslim clothing on the Skybridge since December, said he had been excited at first to be selected as one of the vendors allocated a spot on the Skybridge. But his enthusiasm faded after he found that many shoppers opted to crowd the sidewalks. “I envy them so much. Here I only make a little profit,” the father of three said on Monday.
Irwansyah opted to be relocated to the Skybridge after getting tired of raids conducted by Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) personnel.
Like other kiosk owners, Irwansyah has a three-year contract with city-owned developer PD Pembangunan Sarana Jaya, under which he is required to pay a Rp 500,000 (US$35) monthly service charge. That fee is much lower than the Rp 2 million a month he used to give to local gangs for “protection” during his time on the sidewalks.
The vendors who did not secure a spot on the Skybridge stayed on the sidewalks and are still offering their merchandise to passersby.
The sidewalks of Jl. Jatibaru Raya were packed with shoppers two days before Idul Fitri, as many Jakartans were on their Lebaran shopping spree. By contrast, the Skybridge saw fewer shoppers.
Rika Zikri, one of the customers, bought some clothes for her son for Idul Fitri. The 30-year-old housewife was aware that she could get them on the Skybridge, but she said it was more convenient for her to shop on the sidewalks, as she could directly go to the vendors after getting off a public van.
Four Satpol PP officers were seen in the area where the people were shopping. However, no stern measures were taken against the street vendors.
At least 250 Satpol PP personnel were regularly deployed to Tanah Abang, Jakarta Satpol PP head Arifin said.
He ordered the deployment following concern expressed by some of his officers in Tanah Abang, who encountered difficulties dealing with the violators.
In January, a clash broke out between the street vendors and Satpol PP officers conducting a raid to clear the area. The clash ended after police officers stepped in and fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.
Arifin said his officers used “persuasive and humanist” measures, such as dialogue, in addressing the street vendors.
“If there were no Satpol PP officers there, the roads and sidewalks would be full of vendors. It would be more frenzied,” he told The Jakarta Post.
Vendors and shoppers had begun to gather at the market on Thursday, the first day after the market resumed activities after being closed from June 4 to 13 for the Idul Fitri holiday period. (das)
