Street Vendors Make Kota Tua Chaotic Again

Although have been controlled numerous times, street vendors are once again mushrooming in Kota Tua area, Tamansari Sub-District, West Jakarta. Not only occupying Fatahillah Park, they also hawking their wares on sidewalks all around Kota Tua, as seen on Jalan Kali Besar Timur and Jalan Kunir. As a result, the area is now chaotic again and the traffic becomes hampered.

Kota Tua area becomes chaotic and slum because there are many street vendors hawking their wares. They supposed to be arranged well, so they could be more order

“Kota Tua area becomes chaotic and slum because there are many street vendors hawking their wares. They supposed to be arranged well, so they could be more order,” expressed Sumiyati, a tourist from Nganjuk, East Java, Wednesday (7/30).

Based on Jakarta Cooperatives, Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and Trade (KUMKMP) Department data, street vendors growth in Kota Tua is reaching 200 percent. Of total 260 guided street vendors recorded in August 2013, the number now becomes over 700 street vendors.

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According to Head of Tamansari Sub-District, Paris Limbong, his party routinely holds control by deploying 30 joint personnel. The control is held around Kota Tua area, starting from Jalan Lada, Pintu Besar Utara, in front of Kota Station, in front of BNI Bank and Bank Mandiri, et cetera.

“Everything, whether (street vendors’) carriages as well as stalls, we controlled and transported it to the trucks. We do that because the presence of street vendors in Kota Tua is not only making the area chaotic but causing traffic congestion as well,” he stated.