Heru Budi Claims JIS Infrastructure Improvement Does Not Meet Obstacles

Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) in North Jakarta. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono claimed that the improvement of Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) infrastructure and its surroundings continued and did not encounter any problems.

"So far there have been no obstacles. Just run smoothly," said Heru when met in Ciracas, East Jakarta, Friday, July 21.

Heru explained that the repair of JIS and its supporting facilities was carried out jointly between the DKI Provincial Government and the central government, starting from road repairs, access from off-ramp toll roads, additional parking bags, to pedestrian bridges from the Ancol area to JIS.

The target is that all of these improvements will be completed before the U-17 World Cup is held from November 10 to December 2, 2023.

"Bina Marga about the road is almost finished, staying with JMP (Jasa Marga Properti) to connect to the toll road. There are additional JPOs at the Ancol river, Jalan RE Martadinata. The target is to complete it before the World Cup," explained Heru.

The government found four solutions that will be worked out to fix the shortage of JIS which has not met FIFA standards as the U-17 World Cup venue in November.

This is based on a review conducted by the Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, and Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono and his staff.

In general, the government found a number of problems that would be fixed in JIS infrastructure. Among them are match field grass that is not in accordance with FIFA standards, inadequate access, minimal vehicle parking access, and players' entrances.

Basuki said that grass on the JIS football field did not match the standards for the U-17 World Cup venue.

"What can be done is to move the field, which has become one of them from golf. If not, we can replace it according to a game, so it's like a terel. That's the closest solution because for 3 months. In the long term, change the grass," explained Chairman of PT Karya Rama Prima (KaerPe) Qamal Mustaqim.

Another shortage of JIS is in the entry access for soccer player buses to the stadium. Apparently, the access gate for the player bus cannot accommodate the bus to enter the stadium. This gate will later be repaired so that the bus players can enter.

"The current condition is that buses cannot enter here because there is a ticket door that must be widened or dismantled so that the bus can enter," explained PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.

Access to the JIS area is one of the complaints complained about by visitors to the stadium. The plan is that there will be an off-ramp access to the Harbour toll road near the east JIS entrance gate.

Then, a pedestrian bridge (JPO) will also be built which stretches from the eastern Ancol area to JIS for visitors who park their private vehicles in Ancol. On the one hand, the government is also speeding up the construction of the JIS Commuter Line KRL station.

"So we will wake up the bridge so that it is faster. Then the train station will be brought here. The ramp for the toll road, Jasa Marga we will accelerate, finish, so that it can become access again," explained Basuki.

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government plans to add several parking bags for JIS visitors. Given, this international standard stadium can accommodate 82 thousand spectators. However, the available parking capacity can only accommodate 1,200 motorized vehicles, both wheels, four wheels and buses.

Head of the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency, Syafrin Liputo, said that one of the locations that will be converted into JIS visitor parking lots is the Sunter Intermediate Treatment Facility (ITF) construction area which is on the west side of JIS.

"Later in front of here, it is intended that the ITF will be fully used as a parking location. So there will be additional parking locations," said Syafrin.

In addition to ITF land, there are several locations that have also been transformed into JIS parking bags. Among them are the former residential land of Bambu Village which houses 5,000 vehicles.

Additional JIS parking locations that will also be prepared are in the eastern Ancol area with a capacity of 1,000 four-wheeled vehicles or more.