"There will be zero tolerance towards all public vehicles, which are not fit to operate on Jakarta`s roads. Metromini business too will face a similar fate," Ahok noted.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) voiced his intentions to not permit public vehicles, including Metromini buses, deemed unfit to ply on roads.

"There will be zero tolerance towards all public vehicles, which are not fit to operate on Jakartas roads. Metromini business too will face a similar fate," Ahok noted at the City Hall on Monday.

The governor affirmed that his officials will continue to take firm action by detaining public vehicles deemed unfit to operate in Jakarta for the sake of passenger convenience.

"Old Metromini buses (no longer suitable for operations) should, if possible, be grounded (be scrapped). The problem is that I have no authority (to scrap them). For sure, we will continue to detain vehicles, which are not worthy of operations," Ahok emphasized.

The Jakarta Transportation Service (Dishubtrans DKI) has revoked the route service permits of 1.6 thousand public vehicles operating in the capital city of Jakarta.

"We are ready to face the lawsuit filed by the Metromini owner in the State Administrative Court (PTUN) in connection with the revocation of the companys route operation service license," noted Ahok.

He claimed that until now, some three thousand buses were no longer fit to operate on Jakartas roads. The Jakarta governor has also questioned the role of the Land Transportation Organization (Organda) in managing public vehicles in Jakarta.

"So far, we have detained 1.6 thousand buses, but there are still three thousand others, which are no longer fit to operate on roads. Therefore, I am questioning the functioning of Organda," affirmed Ahok.

Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan urged the Jakarta regional government on Sunday to streamline the handling of operation licenses of the citys Metromini buses following a train-Metromini bus accident, in which 17 people lost their lives in Jakarta on Sunday morning.

"I called on the Jakarta governor to put in order the handling of operation licenses of Metromini buses. The licenses for operating Metromini buses are issued by the governor and not by me," the minister clarified here on Sunday.

He explained that the accident did not occur as it was a one-way crossing but since the driver had broken through the gate.

"Regardless of whether an underpass or a flyover is built, breaking through the gate is against the law," the minister pointed out.

The Sunday morning accident, involving a railway commuter train and a Metromini bus, resulted in the death of 17 passengers when the collision occurred at the Angke railroad crossing.

The 17 dead victims and several injured people in the accident, which took place at the Muara Anke railway crossroad on Sunday morning, were taken to several hospitals.

"They have been taken to the Sumber Waras, Atmajaya, Tarakan, Tambora, and Cipto Mangungungkusumo (RSCM) hospitals," rescue team member Hasan Basri stated on Sunday.

He said the Metromini bus came under the train after being dragged away for about 200 meters.

The driver of the Metromini bus was also killed in the accident.

The remains of the Metromini bus have now been retrieved from the accident site, he remarked.

According to witnesses, the collision between the bus serving the Kalideres-Jembatan Lima route and the commuter line train heading for Tanah Abang (Jatinegara-Bogor) occurred as the Metromini bus had forced its way to cross the railway gate as it was about to be closed.

The train commuter line spokesperson Eva Chairunisa stated that the train has been operated based on standard procedures.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015