Sidoarjo Unloading The Congestion Trigger Building, Regent: Hopefully It Will Be The Owner's Charity

JAKARTA - The Sidoarjo Regency Government, East Java, demolished a building at the Bangah T-junction, Aloha. The goal is to break down traffic jams that often occur in the area.

Sidoarjo Regent Ahmad Muhdlor explained, five buildings were demolished out of a total of 58 merchant stalls to be demolished.

"July 27, 2022, is the deadline for lapak owners to vacate stalls," said Regent Muhdlor during the demolition, Thursday, July 21.

Gus Muhdlor, as he is familiarly called, said the widening of the Bangah T-junction was to relieve congestion in the area.

He also reluctantly had to dismantle the stalls that were blocking the widening of the road and asked for the demolition of the stalls to be done humanely.

"This process (the demolition of the stalls) was carried out very humanely. Of the 58, there are 28 stall owners who have Sidoarjo ID cards, all of them have been given spiritual funds and facilitation for the transfer," he said as quoted by Antara.

The Sidoarjo Regency Government has provided a relocation area for stall owners so that they can continue their business in Kedungrejo Market, Waru District.

"We are forced to do this not because of the regent, but this is all for the people of Sidoarjo and the aspirations of the people of Sidoarjo about traffic jams here," he said.

He expressed his gratitude to the lapak owners who had relieved their stalls to be dismantled and his side would not turn a blind eye to the sincerity of the lapak owners.

"Hopefully this will be their charity, letting the stalls that have been occupied be used for widening the road," he said.

Gus Muhdlor also said that the road widening project is part of a national strategic project that will be carried out in August.

"It is targeted that the road widening will be completed in the next three months. Thank you to the Indonesian Navy for fully supporting this road widening project," he said.

Saiful, one of the lapak owners, admitted that he was concerned about the demolition. The owner of the cooking utensil service business supports widening the road for the benefit of the wider community.

He admitted that there had been turmoil from the traders, but with an offer from the Sidoarjo Regency Government, the traders finally agreed.

"We are provided with a relocation site in Kedungrejo Market, Waru, where rental fees are also freed for five months or until the end of the year," he said.