Jakarta is increasingly getting jam-packed. This condition has lately been felt by residents. The fading fear of the COVID-19 pandemic makes life return to normal.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN
Traffic jam on Jalan Jati Baru Raya, Central Jakarta, Wednesday (14/12/2022).
Traffic congestion, based on data, is in fact not yet back to the way it was before COVID-19. As we experienced a “deserted road” for almost three years, now even short queues of vehicles give rise to very punishing moments.
The easing pandemic has finally restored the economy. The volume of motor vehicle sales is climbing closer to the pre-crisis level. And what about the mobility policy for the residents of the capital city? What ways should be sought to make mobility efficient, inexpensive and certainly convenient for all?
It should be understood that we are not an anti-automotive industry. It is the right of citizens, by meeting relevant requirements, to buy private vehicles. In many countries, where the ratio of motor vehicle ownership is higher than that of Indonesia, motor vehicle sales continue to increase.
The problem is that, as shown by an in-depth coverage of Kompas, the purchase of private vehicles not only causes city roadblocks, but also erodes residents’ financial capacity. A marketing representative claims to have served a buyer with a monthly salary of Rp 10 million (US$641) who was ready to pay a car purchase installment worth half his income.
With such a big installment, what about the quality of his and his family’s life? Never forget that there are other “hidden” costs in the form of maintenance charges, tax and parking space rent for those whose houses have no garage.
FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN
Passengers jostled to get on the Transjakarta bus at the Harmoni Stop, Central Jakarta, Friday (16/12/2022).
The Jakarta public transportation service covers 83 percent of the population within a radius of 500 meters. Therefore, it should raise a deep concern that users of daily mass public transportation in Greater Jakarta only constitutes 30 percent of 88 million daily trips (Greater Jakarta Transportation Management Agency, 2019 data).
What’s wrong with the residents? What should be done to encourage them to turn to public transportation services? Certainly, a more profound survey is needed along with concrete steps in relevant areas.
It requires “envoys” of public transportation users who can serve as models for residents. They should work on a routine basis like automotive marketing agents who fill our digital space every day and persuade residents every week at malls to buy a motor vehicle.
Incentives and disincentives should also be decided with due considerations. Incentives for private vehicle purchases should not be unproportional to those for purchases of public transportation means. Private vehicle purchases should not provoke random parking in settlements, office complexes and shopping centers, which will hamper residents’ mobility.
The problem of mobility, including the issue of congestion, should be comprehensively resolved. Its solution should be trans-sectoral in nature, otherwise our cities will surely be plagued by severe traffic jams that trigger an economic slowdown. While the family income is drained for vehicle installments, residents also have to bear the impact of an economic decline as a result of mobility confusion.
