Out & About: Shiny new malls have so far to fall

Tue, 07/22/2008 10:14 AM  |  City

If the city administration has its way, we will soon see another glittering shopping area rising up in South Jakarta, adding to the plethora of malls in the city.

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo has announced plans for a new shopping area and giant retail hub along a 1.6 kilometer stretch on Jl Dr. Satrio in Kuningan, Central Jakarta.

When announcing the plan, Fauzi said with enthusiasm that he envisaged a mega project with all the facilities needed to stimulate commercial activities.

He foresees that the multibillion rupiah project would include development of a shopping facility on currently unoccupied land in the Mega Kuningan area.

Hotels, apartments and office blocks will be added through cooperation with the private sector.

The city planning agency already has blueprints on the table. The commercial area will have an overpass and underpass for pedestrian use and green spaces to give it an environmentally friendly appearance.

With the public interest in mind, the agency also made it clear that it will not allow the construction of fences or walls in the posh shopping-cum-office area. A sense of spaciousness will provide pedestrians with a pleasant feeling.

Being modeled after Singapore's trademark Orchard Road, the shopping area will also have a pedestrian lane approximately eight meters wide.

This pedestrian lane will ensure shoppers receive maximum enjoyment from their excursion. They can walk and window-shop to their heart's content in the posh shopping area, without fear of being side-swiped by passing cars or bumping against a food hawker who has set up his stall in the pedestrian lane, as is experienced in several shopping areas in town.

While pondering the comforts the glittering shopping paradise will be offering, I remembered that Jakarta already has a pedestrian-friendly shopping street in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta, though on a lesser scale than the one envisioned for Mega Kuningan.

To restore Pasar Baru's previous glory as a shopping area, Fauzi's predecessor, governor Sutiyoso, banned cars and motorcycles from entering the area.

That decision brought relief to shoppers, as they could walk comfortably and leisurely without fear of being hit by passing cars or motorbikes.

As part of its rejuvenation program, the shopping arcade was given an impressive gateway, reminiscent of its historical past. Pedestrians could walk over a gleaming tiled walkway four meters wide.

Potted plants were placed alongside the street, creating a welcoming space. A green canopy arched over the walkway shielding pedestrians from the direct sunlight or sudden downpours.

But as the city government did not solve the severe population pressure in the commercial area, conditions at Pasar Baru deteriorated.

The walkway, previously used exclusively by pedestrians is now occupied by dozens of food hawkers and street vendors selling garments, watches, toys and a host of other merchandise.

In some sections, vendors have spread their wares over more than half of the width of the pedestrian lane, leaving only a narrow corridor for pedestrians to walk through.

Some vendors even occupy the pavement directly under the shops' windows. It appears that street vendors have no respect for public spaces and have turned the area into just another crowded and chaotic market.

To make matters worse, motorized vehicles are now allowed to enter the area. A parking attendant has waived existing rules allowing traffic to enter from a narrow lane on the western side, traversing through the shopping arcade.

The formerly gleaming walkway gleams no more and parts of its canopy have been blown out due to stormy weather.

Poor maintenance is to blame for the unsightly condition in what was once a shopping paradise. It is evident that efforts and funds spent on Pasar Baru has been wasted.

This population pressure is evident in many corners of the city, which includes areas surrounding bus terminals and road junctures, but its destructive nature is most felt in commercial areas with vendors and beggars treating public space as private areas.

As part of its rejuvenation program the city government has widened the road in Glodok, West Jakarta. Food hawkers who set up tents on the roadside were cleared, giving better access to pedestrians who wanted to visit and shop at the historical Chinatown.

But vendors have again covered the walkway in front of the shops. This makes it impossible for shoppers to enjoy a leisurely walk.

In addition, some shop owners have expanded into the public space in order to better display their wares. The Glodok area has returned to an anarchic state.

Similar overcrowding and chaotic conditions can be seen in and around the Mangga Dua shopping center, North Jakarta.

The Tanan Abang textile market in Central Jakarta has become notorious for its perennial traffic jams, and is riddled with pickpockets and thugs.

Unless the problem of population pressure receives due attention, efforts and funds spent on another shopping arcade will be wasted, as seen at Pasar Baru, Glodok, Mangga Dua and Tanah Abang -- to mention only a few.

Retno K. Djojo

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