With the 2018 Asian Games kicking off very soon on August 18, the Jakarta Provincial Government has been in overdrive trying to get the capital’s infrastructure projects ready to host the huge sporting event. Not all of their last-minute policies have proved popular though (we are, of course, referring to the now-infamous stink surrounding the curtaining off of Kali Item), and this latest one has many Jakartans in absolute bewilderment.
Recently, new strips of grass — about a lane wide — were installed on Jalan Sudirman, which is the largest thoroughfare through the capital’s central business district. Sure, Jakarta could use a bit more green in the center of the city, but these strips were inexplicably put up between bus stops and Jalan Sudirman.
This leaves passengers with few options beside walking on the newly planted grass or taking a huge detour around the grass to get to their bus.
“I’m confused, if I walk around then it’s far then I run the risk of getting scraped [by vehicles on the road], so I might as well walk on the grass,” bus passenger Heri told Kompas.
“In truth it’s nice to have this bit of green, but for us bus passengers, we have to walk around and it’s far. If it rains [the grass] is also wet,” another passenger, Arini, said.
Popular meme aggregator Humor Politik was one of many that took aim at the odd design choice, and the comments on their post are full of sharp criticism towards the government.
https://www.facebook.com/MemeHumorPolitik/photos/a.614645031955869.1073741827.614640958622943/1844262542327439/?type=3&theater
“They (the Jakarta Provincial Government leaders) knew ahead of time that Jakarta is hosting the Asian Games. But instead of fixing things, they were busy traveling to Turkey, America, Moscow. And then they were busy running in the morning, swimming, doing aerobics,” wrote one commenter.
“This is done in spirit of the Asian Games. That’s a special bus stop for long jumpers!” joked another.
Vice Governor Sandiaga Uno defended the grass strips, because apparently what foreign athletes and tourists think of Jakarta is more important than how the government’s Asian Games policies affect those who actually live in the capital.
“This is to beautify for the Asian Games, so it will all be covered by grass or plants,” he told reporters yesterday.
But critics may be jumping the gun, since officials say work on the grass strips is not done yet and cement walkways going through the grass are still being paved.
“The problem of bus stops having their access to the road blocked by the grass, that’s because the grass is newly planted. There will be walkways for people on the bus stops to get to the bus, they’re being prepared by vendors,” Jakarta Bina Marga Agency official Heru Suwondo said, adding that the project will be complete before the end of the month (of course, that begs the question of why they bothered planting the new grass in front of the bus stops if they were indeed planning on paving it over).
The new grass strips are blocking road access for bus stops in front of Graha CIMB Niaga, Atma Jaya University and Plaza Sentral.
