Article Critique: Jakarta needs Metro to avoid traffic gridlock
Article Analysis
The article explains the development of Indonesian public transportation infrastructure through construction of new metro rail systems. The news article also addresses the need to implement rail transit infrastructures. The limitations of alternative modes of transportation in Jakarta make the populace’s life more of a hassle, as they have to endure countless hours of being stuck in traffic. Therefore, the transportation sector must put solutions in place to avoid further worsening of traffic conditions in the streets of Jakarta. One major solution proposed is the development of metro rail systems in Jakarta. It aims to address the worsening effects of daily traffic jam involving main roads. Jakarta is one of the highly-populated major cities on Earth, and most outsiders and politicians see the development of major transportation systems as a major necessity. The proposed project would then turn into a reality (now known as Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit) as the government controls the mass transit operations and infrastructure improvement.
The article uses numerical figures to describe specific data collected – one important rule when writing general news. The writer used more simple words and minimal complex words because the main objective is that the audience must understand the news and that the news content should adhere to readability. The article briefly describes the sequence of events on how big cities such as New York and Tokyo went from having no train systems up to having one of the most sophisticated and highly urbanized rapid transit systems. The article uses compare and contrast techniques, which in result creates a strong emphasis on the topic. Such was the case when the writer emphasized that Jakarta was the only major city without a metro transit infrastructure compared to its neighboring countries.
Article Evaluation
Indonesia is one of the eleven principal members of the ASEAN organization composed of member states from South East Asia. Both Malaysia and Singapore have metro rail systems similar to Japan’s robust system, and metro rail systems in Thailand and Philippines are commendable enough to cater the transportation of daily public. It is very difficult to curb traffic congestion, and this kind of a road problem may never go away. With Indonesia being a major economic competitor in Southeast Asia, addressing their transportation issues would be at par with their neighboring countries.
Political involvement on transportation projects could raise many eyebrows from the public. Usually, prominent political figures involved in mega-infrastructure projects often look at the side funding propositions. Such proposition could make the proponents earn the ire of the public, or subjects for the successful completion aimed at modern urbanization. Thus, political involvement would often be a turning point on the completion of transportation-related projects.
Further emphasis was placed on the effects of improving mass transportation services to the public. The aim of every mass transit service is to offer the best public transportation services while decongesting traffic within the metropolis. The need for integration of the mass rail transit with the current transportation modes is also cited. However, there could be potential problems that may not solve traffic congestion. Drivers of public transportation utilities such as taxicabs would line up at the exit of every train station, waiting for passengers to take a ride. Taxicabs could take part of the road and might cause traffic holdup when left uncontrolled. Second, it will be better if there are interconnecting rail systems that could reach the rural and outer parts of Jakarta. Overall, critical reasoning and proper stringing of opinion and facts are more than enough to for the write-up to be considered an editorial piece.
References
Rukmana, D. (2010, October 24). Jakarta needs Metro to avoid traffic gridlock. Retrieved November 1, 2014, from http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/10/24/jakarta-needs- metro-avoid-traffic-gridlock.html
