Polda Metro Suggests DKI Set Office Hours To Unravel Congestion, PDIP Legislators In DKI: Confusing

Member of the PDIP Faction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD Gilbert Simanjuntak/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Polda Metro Jaya proposes that there be arrangements for office hours for office workers in Jakarta to break down traffic jams that always occur during peak hours.

In response to this, Member of Commission B of the DKI Jakarta DPRD from the PDIP Faction, Gilbert Simanjuntak, views the proposed arrangement of office hours as ineffective and confusing.

"This is a bit confusing and situational or temporary in nature. I don't see that as a solution," Gilbert said in a text message, Thursday, July 21.

Gilbert reflected on the setting of school hours which was moved up by half an hour from 07.00 to 06.30 since several years ago.

In the past, the regulation of school hours was made to reduce congestion due to the accumulation of vehicle traffic for students going to school and employees going to work. However, at this time the density during peak hours is still happening.

"Previously, school hours were set earlier in the morning, it turns out that Jakarta is still jammed. The main factor is the number of vehicles that continues to grow beyond the growth of roads. Even setting school hours has failed, especially office hours," said Gilbert.

According to Gilbert, the main step taken by the DKI Provincial Government is to fix the public transportation system in order to increase the shift in the use of private vehicles by the public to public transportation.

"We should find a way out, namely improving public transportation and then increasing the car tax. The governor (Anies Baswedan) is now focusing on electric buses. Even though we don't need electric buses now, we need to optimize the number of buses, frequencies and routes that serve," he stressed.

Previously, the Director of Traffic of the Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Latif Usman, suggested that the departure time of workers be regulated so that there would be no piling up during peak hours. Latif admitted that this proposal was based on his analysis of Jakarta's traffic jams.

From his observations, the mobility of workers and students departs at the same time, resulting in congestion on the streets.

Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, admitted that his party would consider the proposed arrangement of working hours.

"I think that input will get the attention of friends. We will consider the input later. We will see to what extent the congestion is caused by the same working hours," said Riza.