JAKARTA – through Health Hazard to Traffic Jams
Batavia, as Jakarta was called during the colonial days, was once styled the “Queen of the East”. This particular label was lost from the early years of the 19th century when that will became known as the “Cemetery of the Europeans”. After the Dutch East India Company, VOC, went bankrupt because of mismanagement along with corruption, along with was formally liquidated in 1800, the town lost most of its raison d’être. that will had been a town of traders along with public administrators, with virtually no manufacturing establishments. With the demise of the VOC the inflow of respectable settlers all although dried up seriously affecting the population continuity. The sickly climate along with abominable sanitation, had always taken a toll on large numbers of its inhabitants along with with the replacements staying home the town slowly degraded.
The general decline quickened because of the simultaneous depreciation of the Batavia Paper Currency. A devaluation of a currency, such as happened here, can be typically followed by increasing poverty along with widespread suffering. Merchants insisting on being paid in a more valuable legal tender—in This particular case the Spanish Dollar—along with the civil servants along with different employees still being paid from the old currency, strengthened the economic downturn. The situation improved upon only after the British took control of the archipelago in 1811.
The unhealthy conditions of Batavia had caused many of those who could afford that will to move to higher grounds further south, that will can be, to Rijswijk/Weltevreden (Menteng), Meester Cornelis (Jati Negara) along with Depok.
Depok
that will was Governor General Daendels who in 1808 followed the privately induced moves by deciding to quit the dilapidated along with unhealthy Old Town along with build a brand new town center further south at Weltevreden. The Old Town (Kota) remained the centre of trade, warehousing along with shipping, with Menteng housing the government offices, the military establishment along with shopping. Interestingly, This particular situation remained virtually unchanged until fairly recently. Only the ever increasing home-to-office traveling time (residences of managers generally being from the south) along with the availability of modern office facilities from the southern parts of the city, caused a relocation of the Kota-offices too.
Initially the reason to move further south was the very unhealthy conditions of the old Batavia. Located at the mouth of the Ciliwung along with with many swamps along with nearly stagnant ditches in its surroundings, the town not only suffered high rates of malaria, although also through pestilent air along with poisonous water. The following excerpt can be through Island of Java, by John Joseph Stockdale: … great degree of mortality which prevails there, especially among transient visitors, or recent arrivals; This particular can be apparent to such a degree, that will the English, who circumnavigated the globe, 1768-1770, along with had experienced almost any vicissitude of climate, declared that will Batavia was not only the most unhealthy place they had seen, although that will This particular circumstance was a sufficient defence or preservative against any hostile attempts, as the troops of no nation might be able to withstand, nor might any people in their senses, without absolute necessity, venture to encounter, This particular pestilential atmosphere.
The health situation in Jakarta has greatly improved upon, although several foreign companies or legations still classify Jakarta as a hardship post along with allow their staff biannual R&R leave of a few days in Singapore. The major problem of Jakarta nowadays can be the traffic situation. Traffic jams are ubiquitous along with unpredictable. Drivers seem to behave like a flock of starlings, without any visible or audible command, they suddenly all change direction: where for days the morning rush followed a certain road, This particular road could be all although devoid of traffic the next day as drivers had switched en masse to an alternative route.
Both the unhealthy conditions of the old Batavia along with the endless gridlock of modern Jakarta are disconcerting along with off-putting, to say the least, along with highly frustrating as there can be so little one can do about that will. Staying away, yes! although once one has arrived there can be no escape. along with the frustration can be augmented when one realises that will traffic flow could be improved upon if only the system along with procedures were regulated properly. Have you ever observed a knek (driver’s assistant who collects the fare, conductor sounds a bit too fancy) of a green-along with-white Kopaja minibus, or orange Metro Mini, solve a gridlock by creating space inch by inch to ensure finally the plug can be removed along with the traffic flows again… Don’t expect the same inventiveness along with insight through the policeman, who might rather keep his stretch of road clean by sending you to the left when your desired direction can be to the right or straight on.
The latest example of Jakarta’s fictional traffic regulations can be the junction of Gatot Subroto along with Rasuna Said/Mampang. In order to reduce the traffic on the intersection, drivers are at This particular point directed away through the crossing along with are only heading towards their original destination after a final U-turn.
Highly frustrating, isn’t that will! If staying away can be not an option, my advice can be: hire a not bad driver along with sit from the back. Do some work, if you wish, or read along with listen to music on your pod, pad or phone, or close your eyes along with dream a bit. that will last option can be my favourite way to beat the traffic.
References:
The Conquest of Java, Major William Thorn, Reprinted in paperback by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd, 2004
Island of Java, John Joseph Stockdale, Reprinted in paperback by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd, 2003
Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch-Indië, Martinus Nijhoff, 1917
Wikipedias
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JAKARTA – through Health Hazard to Traffic Jams
JAKARTA – through Health Hazard to Traffic Jams