Rizal Malik's Blog
My stories, my thoughts, my world.

Traffic Jam

I have been three hours stuck in the toll road to the airport. I missed my flight to Bali already. My flight is scheduled to leave at 18:05, and now is 18:35 and I am still here about three kilometres to the end of the toll road. I have called garuda to change my flight to a latter one, at 20:30. Only if I can get away from this nightmare. The radio says that water flooded one part of the toll road. Any interuption to the flow of traffic to the airport is enough to make thousands of people missed their flight. And you are stuck here, there is no alternative road. Or, it is too late to take one.

Traffic jam is always been a common features in Jakarta. However, in the past three months it has became worse and worse. The main reason is the construction of the busway for Jakarta rapid transportation system. Personally, I am supporting the use of public transportation, provided those are safe, timely and comfortable. Transjak (commonly refer as "busway") has the potential to be one. Jakarta has too many private cars that has to be reduced to a minimum. However, economic disincentives by spending hours in traffic jam doesn't work to reduce numbers of private cars on the street of Jakarta. I think the government of Jakarta metropolitan has taken this into the extreeme. They constructed 5 new busways at the same time, without a proper plan how to regulate the traffic. The result is a nightmare.

This will become much worse when the rainy season come in full swing. There is no rain to day, but I suspect the high tide has flooded the road. To night is the full moon, and the tide must be at the highest level. My taxi driver commented, "They should know that the high tide is coming every month. So, they should be prepared". Obviously, preparedness is not the strong point of Jasa Marga (toll road management company), and Government of Jakarta.

It has been a long day for me to day. I started my activity at 4:00am in Jogja. My 6am flight to Jakarta was on schedule. I attended the opening of IPPA workshop with the Minister of Women Empowerment at 9am. Catching up with my e-mail and outstanding matters at TI-Indonesia office until 3:30pm. I have to be in Bali to night to attend INFID's board meeting tomorrow morning. Now is 7:05pm and I am still stuck here!

2007-11-26 12:04:46 GMT

Site Home