As some of you may know, there are whole sections of Jakarta (including the area I live in) virtually blockaded from the outside world due to ungodly traffic congestion, busway construction and all the other "normal" lack-of-discipline issues.
We hosted a birthday party at our house over the weekend and the folks that were coming in from outside our area were warned about the traffic situation. Despite the warning, they still arrived hours late, totally exasperated, frustrated and stressed.
This article in the JP provides some hope that others are similarly frustrated, but at this point I don't see what can be done in terms of a solution to alleviate this utter debacle. It really requires total commitment and political will and, of course, money, which our city kleptocrats just don't like to part with.
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New call center taking traffic complaintsThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In response to the city's worsening traffic congestion, the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute has opened a call center to receive complaints.
Their lawyer, Gatot, said Sunday he had received at least 50 complaints via e-mail, over the telephone and by fax.
"We will hold a meeting Monday with these complainants to discuss the city's perennial traffic problem," he said.
Those who wish to complain about traffic congestion in the capital can call 3145518, fax 3912377, or send an e-mail to lbhjkt@indosat.net.id or macet_jakarta@yahoo.com.
The city's traffic congestion has worsened since the development of new busway corridors...
A resident of Depok, who commutes through Pondok Indah, filed a complaint to the Jakarta Police last week after he was forced to spend almost four hours on the road.
...
"We still don't know whether we will file a (class action) lawsuit or just offer recommendations to the administration and the police," he said.
The city administration, Gatot said, is supposed to have clear road development plans,
while the police should enforce the traffic law."Many underpass and overpass construction works have been left unfinished,
while most public bus and minivan drivers stop wherever they please. Most of the people who complained to the institute do not oppose the busway program, he said, in fact, they are happy to support it as long as the TransJakarta management implements it properly.