•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   
•    EYEWITNESS   

Jakarta. The Jakarta administration announced on Thursday that it would only have 12 TransJakarta busway routes ready by the end of 2012 — three short of its target.

Only eight of the 12 routes, known as corridors, are currently fully functional.

The city plans to open two more corridors stretching from East Jakarta to North Jakarta by the end of this year.

These include Corridor IX, which will run from Pinang Ranti to Pluit, and Corridor X, which will provide service from Cililitan to Tanjung Priok.

Corridor XI, which will run from Kampung Melayu to Pulogebang, is targeted for completion next year, while Corridor XII will be added in 2012.

Sarwo Handayani, head of the Jakarta Development Planning Board, said budget evaluations showed that the capital could only afford 12 corridors.

She said three more corridors agreed upon in the Midterm Regional Development Plan could still be opened after 2012.

But these lines — Kampung Melayu to Bekasi, Manggarai to Depok and Blok M to Ciledug — will be more expensive because they require elevated roads.

“There are many factors to consider, such as the major funding we’ll need for these three corridors, which the Jakarta budget can’t meet,” she said.

The elevated roads will run from Blok M to Antasari in South Jakarta and from Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta to Kampung Melayu.

The first phases of the projects cost around Rp 1.3 trillion and Rp 800 billion ($146 million and $90 million), respectively.

Sarwo said the city would rather focus on operating and improving existing corridors and adding more buses.

“There may only be 12 corridors, but if we run them properly, they’ll work well,” Sarwo said.

She said the government would also improve traffic management and bus services.

However, Darmaningtyas, executive director of the Institute of Transportation Studies, criticized Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo’s administration for its inability to follow through on its 15-corridor promise.

“Lack of funding can’t be the problem because Jakarta can afford to pay for it,” he said. “With strong commitment, they could still meet the target.”

He said 15 corridors were needed to help ease chronic traffic congestion. These could be integrated with other modes of transport such as railways.

“Instead of spending money on elevated roads that will only cause more traffic problems, they should spend it on the busway,” Darmaningtyas said.

 “It is the backbone of Jakarta’s public transportation system.”