April 1 2006 After hitting a snag last year with plans to transform factory-lined Jl. Raya Serpong into something approaching Singapore's Orchard Road, the Tangerang administration is turning its focus to the construction of a turnpike connecting Serpong to the Balaraja district.
"We've done a feasibility study on the proposed turnpike, and have presented the plan to Public Works Minister Joko Kirmanto," Tangerang Regent Ismet Iskandar said, during the launch of construction on Serpong Mall in Gading Serpong housing complex Wednesday.
He said the minister had approved the plans and several investors were already considering financing the project, which was expected to start early next year.
The new turnpike, however, has not dimmed Ismet's dream of turning Jl. Raya Serpong into an international commercial and business corridor.
Large factories line the right side of the 12-kilometer long Jl. Raya Serpong, while the left side is occupied by housing estates such as Gading Serpong, the Alam Sutra, Vila Melati Mas and Bumi Serpong Damai, whose developers have also constructed stores and shopping centers.
In early 2004 the administration ordered the industrial companies to give their factories a face-lift, particularly those facing the main road, and to open show rooms.
This effort came after a change in the regency's master plan, which allowed Serpong to become an integrated business area instead of just being an industrial district.
"But the problem is that Jl. Raya Serpong is a provincial road controlled by the Banten provincial administration, so we don't have the authority for the road's make-over," Ismet said, explaining that the commercial corridor would cost between Rp 500 million (about US$56,000) and Rp 1 billion to create.
Since the regency administration stopped issuing permits for the construction of new factories along Jl. Raya Serpong, large housing estates have turned it into a huge residential area.
"Many multinational companies have also opened offices in Serpong, which has helped accelerate economic growth there," Ismet said.
