JAKARTA - The Governor of DKI Jakarta admitted that his party was rebuilding the pedestrian crossing bridge (JPO) on Jalan MH Thamrin, specifically in front of Mal Sarinah. Pramono also responded to criticism from the Coalition of Pedestrians that the construction of the JPO was feared to replace the pelican crossing there.
Pramono emphasized that the DKI Provincial Government would not close the pelican crossing as a means for pedestrians to cross the road under JPO Sarinah. The two will be functionally together.
"Indeed, I have also read the pros and cons of the community, the pedestrian group wants to walk under the road. The pedestrian under the road is still open and then above as an alternative choice," said Pramono at the Kebayoran Lama Health Center, South Jakarta, Friday, January 9.
Pramono admitted that the decision to rebuild JPO Sarinah was based on the DKI Provincial Government's study on the need for pedestrian access which turned out to still require a sterile crossing facility from vehicle traffic.
"So JPO Sarinah in this study is indeed needed especially for the disabled. So that's one of the reasons why it was held," said Pramono.
Moreover, the discourse on the redevelopment of JPO Sarinah has been developing before Pramono took office as Governor at the beginning of 2025.
"The matter of Sarinah, frankly, the decision was actually made long ago. But I as the Governor am now responsible for it," he continued.
Previously, the Pedestrian Coalition criticized the redevelopment of JPO Sarinah. In 2022, Anies Baswedan dismantled and closed JPO Sarinah with aesthetic considerations for the city. This step was taken so that the view towards the Welcome Statue and the rows of historic buildings around it would not be obstructed.
As a replacement, at that time the DKI Provincial Government built a pelican crossing which was considered more friendly for people with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women because it carried the principle of equality on the road surface.
According to the Pedestrian Coalition, the decision to rebuild JPO Sarinah during Pramono's leadership has created a paradox in city planning.
At a location that had previously been adapted to the concept of road safety through pelican crossings, the policy of reviving JPO is considered to reflect a step backwards. Pedestrians are once again positioned as the party who must adapt to motor vehicles, not the other way around.
By returning the JPO, the Pedestrian Coalition considers the DKI Provincial Government under Pramono's leadership as prioritizing the smooth flow of vehicles over the experience and comfort of pedestrians. This marks a setback from the principle of the city that places humans at the center of road space planning.
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