Known as the biggest traditional market over South-East Asia, Tanah Abang Market (Indonesian : Pasar Tanah Abang) is also infamous for its horrible environment. I mean it was a challenge for even a normal walkers to step through every sides of Tanah Abang spots in a normal day, due to the hectic neighborhood. And that was including indiscipline traders putting their loads and stances on the street, stubborn public bus drivers waiting for passengers at every point they feel is worth to wait regardless if it will interrupt the traffic on the zone, and perhaps the ignorance of the capital city government that only sporadically went through revitalization program which resulted in one two days of peaceful days and then the heat was on the strike again.
Years by years gone by and it was a status quo. One with motorized vehicle must prepare to have a hard time with the killer traffic in Tanah Abang zone, while others come here to see and buy something might not comfortable (but less-surprised) with the crowded street and pedestrian in this area. The burden proved too high for the Jakarta government in the last decade to even start thinking about a comprehensive solution. Still this Tanah Abang market has one of the biggest money turn-around in the country and the regional.
But during Jokowi-Ahok crowning in the capital city, it was a twist in the tale. Nobody expect it, but Sunday 29th of September 2013 was the day when everybody in this country was shocked in a positive way to see how Jokowi’s silver tongue and Ahok energetic style finally made way to a ‘new Tanah Abang’. All the sellers and their goods were relocated to a more suitable and human places, instead of the roads, pedestrian, and everything. Yes of course, prior to the day they have made a lot of approaching to the sellers, the people reside around the market, ‘senior’ people in and around the market, and the respective government sides. It is such a brilliant diplomatic resolution thanks to the capital government, Jokowi-Ahok.
Well, actually I won’t go further on the policies and the people involved in the story as I was not equipped with a lot of information from credible points of sources. Here I prefer to explicitly show you pictures I took of how Tanah Abang overtures are resulting in a positive way although of course far from perfect. Take some time to see here 🙂
(open pic in the new tab to see bigger version)
1. Road from West Jakarta
The road leads to Tanah Abang from Slipi / West Jakarta. Previously it was full of trade-sellers who don’t care with traffic and others thing, but now just look how human the road is now 🙂
Ride The Wind 