More busway delays predicted

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city administration may delay the launch of services on three busway corridors currently being constructed until March.

It was first predicted the corridors would be fully operational by the end of the year.

City secretary Ritola Tasmaya said the delay was caused by several problems, including delays in the procurement of ticketing machines and buses.

"These delays were partly caused by the delayed disbursement of the city budget, meaning we had to readjust the procurement schedule," he said.

However, the head of the Jakarta Transportation Agency, Nurachman, said Tuesday the project was still on track and would be completed by its scheduled finish date.

"Dec. 15 was nominated as the deadline for these corridors to be finished by, not the day when busway services on these corridors would commence," he said.

Nurachman said it was likely busway services would commence on the three corridors by May.

He said delays may be encountered in the construction of the remaining four busway corridors, which were initially expected to be built next year.

The corridors currently under construction are corridor VIII, which will link Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Harmoni in Central Jakarta (19.6 kilometers), corridor IX linking Pinang Ranti in East Jakarta to Pluit in North Jakarta (45.6 km) and corridor X linking Cililitan in East Jakarta to Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta (37.8 km).

Jakarta Public Works Agency head Wisnu Subagya Yusuf said the three corridors were approximately 80 percent compete as of Nov. 16.

Nurachman said motorists would be permitted to use the three busway corridors until services were introduced.

"It is better to partly overcome traffic congestion by allowing people to use these lanes rather than leaving them empty," he said.

On Nov. 5 the administration announced motorists would be permitted to use certain sections of other busway corridors in the city for a month.

The decision was made to ease traffic congestion caused by the ongoing construction of the three new corridors.

The administration and Jakarta Police have deployed 5,000 personnel to implement the policy, known as the Jala Jaya traffic operation.

Police have so far fined 114 drivers for parking or stopping illegally during the operation.

Nine vehicles were seized and are currently being held at the police vehicle document center in Daan Mogot, West Jakarta.

The city police's head of traffic accidents, Adj. Comr. Irvan Prawira, said drivers of public busses who parked illegally on Jl. Letjen Suprapto in Central Jakarta made up the majority of people fined.

Police have also been deployed to the Jl. Sabang, Cideng, Pasar Baru and Sarinah areas in Central Jakarta, Jl. RE Martadinata and Jl. Yos Sudarso in North Jakarta, Jl. Otista Raya in East Jakarta and Jl. Melawai in South Jakarta as part of the operation. (adt)