Need info about traffic? Ask TMC

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It was around 1 p.m. on Thursday and the city police's Traffic Management Center had already received 653 text messages from drivers since 6 a.m.

"We usually receive many SMSs during busy hours, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m." TMC officer Saefuddin told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

"Most of the SMSs are from workers asking about information on traffic jams and alternative roads to avoid the jams," he said.

The center was established in 2005 to improve public services and information on traffic.

In addition to providing services to the public, the TMC also helps the police monitor officers more easily as patrol cars are now equipped with the global positioning system.

The TMC receives questions and complaints 24 hours a day via SMS 1717, a call center (021-5276001), the Internet (www.lantas.metro.polri.go.id), Suara Metro police radio (91.1 FM), fax (5276005) and police reports. The center also cooperates with Elshinta and Sonora radio stations.

"We want to be more open to the public. People can also enter the TMC building to watch how we work," another officer, First Adj. Insp. Krisman Menon, told the Post in his office at the city police headquarters, on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta.

To monitor traffic in the city, the TMC has installed 60 CCTV cameras around the capital. The views captured by the cameras are displayed on a big screen at the TMC office.

However, Krisman said only 60 of the cameras were currently in working order.

"Actually it affects our service but we can't repair them because we don't have enough money," he said.

To run the center, TMC officers work in three shifts of 17 people each.

So far this year, the center has received 94,642 SMSs, 17,843 phone calls, 1,615 emails, 476 questions and reports from radio stations and 87 faxes.

It received about 4,000 SMSs when floods hit Jakarta early this month and paralyzed the toll road to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Krisman said most of the people were seeking alternative routes to the airport.

The TMC also receives complaints about damaged roads around the city.

"Many people think that traffic police are in charge of damaged streets ... but it is the Public Works Ministry's responsibility," Krisman said.

"However, we keep accepting the complaints. Then we inform the ministry about the people's complaints so that they can repair the streets."

In addition to providing information and accommodating complaints from Jakartans, TMC also receives crime tips, including on illegal gambling dens and drug dealing spots, as well as bomb threats.

"Most information is useful for us. But we received some bomb hoaxes last year. In one case we were able to arrest the criminal by tracking him through his phone number," said Krisman.

Krisman suggested that people who want to ask for information or file complaints send an SMS instead of calling the center.

"Sending an SMS is more effective than the telephone. You might hear a busy tone when you use the phone because there are many people trying to call us," he said. (trw)