Gov’t Resumes River Normalization to Tackle Jakarta Floods

President Jokowi, accompanied by Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, inspects the Development of Ciliwung river waterway in Jakarta, Tuesday (01/24) (Photo by: PR of Cabinet Secretariat/Rahmat)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Tuesday (01/24) said that floods handling in capital Jakarta must be carried out thoroughly from upstream to downstream.

“It will be completed soon. Insyaallah it will be completed in April [2023],” President Jokowi said in a statement during the inspection of the development of the Ciliwung River Waterway to the East Flood Canal (KBT).

The Government has previously completed the building of the Ciawi dam and the Sukamahi dam, while the development of the Ciliwung River Waterway to the KBT is still in progress.

Even though the project has been postponed for six years due to land acquisition issues, the President expressed optimism that the project would be finished on target.

“Over 1.5 months, the land has been acquired [by Jakarta provincial government] so the project can be resumed,” President Jokowi said, adding that the waterway will reduce floodwaters by 33 cubic meters per second during the level IV of flood, while during the Level I of flood, it will reduce 63 cubic meters per second.

“It will reduce floods in Jakarta,” President Jokowi said.

Apart from the waterway, the President said that flood handling must also be followed by other measures, including pumps optimalization and rivers normalization all over the city.

“We must normalize twelve rivers in Jakarta, including Mookervart, Pesanggrahan, Angke, Cipinang, and other rivers. They must be normalized to tackle floods here,” President Jokowi said, adding that the development of sea embankments and the giant sea walls in the northern part of Jakarta will also reduce tidal flooding. (TGH/UN) (AP/HD/EP)