Authorities free railway station of street vendors

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Jakarta | Wed, October 24 2012, 1:55 PM

At least 150 officers from state-owned railway company PT KAI, the Tambora Police Precinct and the Public Order (Satpol PP) removed hundreds of street vendors selling their products by the North Duri railway station's railway tracks in Tambora, West Jakarta, on Wednesday.

PT KAI Greater Jakarta spokesman Mateta Rizalulhaq said that the move was aimed at improving the passengers’ safety while traveling on a train.

“There were around 200 vendors that have been removed. It was very dangerous to sell their products near the railway tracks,” he said as quoted by Antara news wire.

He cited that the Jakarta administration had prepared three areas for the street vendors to resume their operations, namely in Pekojan market in Penjagalan, Perniagaan market in Tambora and Mitra market in Jembatan Lima, West Jakarta.

To prevent the vendors from returning to the railway station, PT KAI will put up a fence around the station on Thursday.

“We hope that after that, the street vendors won’t return,” he said.

The relocation reportedly went smoothly without resistance from the vendors. (swd)