Lenny Tristia Tambun – The past few months have seen the Jakarta administration widen some footpaths in the city's business district, and install a number of park benches beside the road, but plenty of work remains to be done to convince citizens to venture about the capital on foot.
Data from advocacy group the Jakarta Pedestrian Coalition shows that of the 7,000 kilometers of main roads in the capital, only 20 percent were equipped with anything resembling footpaths.
Meanwhile, of those 1,400 kilometers of city sidewalks, only 280 kilometers are accessible to pedestrians, with the rest hijacked for vehicle parking, street vending and ad-hoc structures such as security posts.
Those who do venture out on foot risk life and limb, with many an unwary pedestrian swallowed up thanks to missing drain covers or holes left after underground utility excavations.
"If anyone were to make a survey of cities with the worst sidewalks, Jakarta would definitely be in it. Jakarta's sidewalks have never received enough attention from the government," said Ahmad Syarifudin, an activist from the pedestrian organization.
Earlier last month, the city administration began revamping footpaths along some of the capital's busiest roads, mainly in the business district, such as Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta, which saw their sidewalks paved, and in some places widened and graced with the occasional park bench.
Although many have appreciated the easily noticeable improvements, others have emphasized that it takes more than pretty paving for one to truly enjoy walking in the city.
Tuti, 35, who walks on a daily basis between the Le Meridien Hotel on Jalan Sudirman to the Setiabudi TransJakarta bus shelter, said she had initially been excited about the new sidewalks and benches, but that Jakarta's hellish vehicular traffic had taken the edge off her enthusiasm.
"I like walking on the footpath along Jalan Sudirman. But sometimes I just can't handle it because there is so much air pollution from public transportation, private cars and motorbikes. In addition to that, there is also all the noise, because drivers constantly honk their horns. That makes me not want to walk," she said.
Olin, a resident of Setiabudi, South Jakarta, said the city's sidewalks are still far from ideal, as they do not offer a sense of security and comfort for pedestrians. According to Olin, many footpaths are less than 2 meters wide and either used by street vendors or vehicle owners, or they are damaged.
"Walking in Jakarta makes me anxious. Because at any time, there could be motorbikes honking at you as they mount the sidewalk. I was once nearly hit by a motorbike who insisted on driving down the sidewalk," she said.
Being aware of the lack of safety and comfort for pedestrians, the Jakarta Parks and Cemeteries Agency, which also oversees the management of footpaths in the city, said the government would continuously carry out work to improve pedestrian facilities as well as to plant more trees alongside roads.
Agency chief Jonathan Pasodung emphasized that sidewalks are meant to be used solely by pedestrians, and should be comfortable and safe, free from motorbikes and obstruction by street vendors.
Plans to optimize footpaths have been in the works since last year, Jonathan said, saying city order officers had been ordered to take strict action against anyone misusing footpaths.
Raids had been carried out along several roads including Jalan Sudirman, Jalan Thamrin, Jalan Kebon Sirih, Jalan Wahid Hasyim, Jalan Sabang and Jalan Cokroaminoto, Jonathan said.
Additionally, he said the agency had also moved to reorganize sidewalks along other roads such as Jalan Cikini, Jalan Gajah Mada, Jalan Kebon Sirih and Jalan Sabang.
Jonathan said the government had spent Rp 18.75 billion ($1.6 million) to build new sidewalks in 2012. The construction saw footpaths built higher, and more trees planted alongside roads.
To anticipate anyone trying to turn sidewalks into spaces for street vendors and motorbike parking, Jonathan said the office moved to ensure footpaths were raised at least 25 centimeters above road surfaces, so as to discourage motorbikes or food carts from encroaching onto pedestrian spaces.
In addition to building higher sidewalks, Jonathan said bollards will also be installed to further prevent motorbikes from transgressing.
"We want to make footpaths that are humane and make pedestrians feel comfortable and safe when they walk," he said. For 2013, Jonathan said the agency has allocated up to Rp 23.61 billion for development, planning and monitoring of sidewalk refinement programs across several areas in Jakarta.
Telecommunication companies, the government's electricity company, and gas and water utilities heavily rely on the underground space below sidewalks to ensure their services are distributed to various areas across the city.
However, to be able to dig up footpaths as part of maintenance work, companies are now obliged to pay a certain sum before earning their working license and the approval of the Jakarta Public Works Agency and the Jakarta Spatial Planning Agency. In 2012, underground cable work for state-run electricity company PLN cost up to Rp 312 million for a 1-kilometer stretch of sidewalk.
Ahmad pointed that the current system was prone to abuse by officials in the several different government agencies responsible, to earn personal financial benefits from projects instead of putting excavation license funds back into restoring sidewalks for pedestrians. This may explain the large number of excavations that are left unpaved after underground utility pipes are laid, he said.
Earlier in September, as the city government started rolling out a program of drainage works under the city's sidewalks, Governor Joko Widodo said he aimed to integrate maintenance conduits for all sorts of cables and pipes running under the city's sidewalks.
"Everything has to be integrated. Today, there is continuous excavation for every broken electrical cable or any sort of damaged pipe. There seem to be no end to the works done [on the sidewalks]," he said.
The governor also added that he was aiming for every stretch of sidewalk in the city to be revamped by next year. "Next year, every footpath in the city will be widened up to at least 8 meters. Those along Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Thamrin will also be included," he said.
Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama in October also vowed that in revamping the city's sidewalks, the government would ensure the facilities were accessible for individuals who are vision-impaired and others with disabilities.