Pramono Admits Insomnia Every Heavy Rain Floods Jakarta

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung admitted that he often could not sleep whenever heavy rain hit Jakarta. He experienced this condition since he took office as governor, along with increasing vigilance against the potential for flooding in a number of vulnerable points.

Pramono compared the situation with the previous habit, when the rain was no longer a burden on the mind. However, now, when he served as the head of the region, every time it rained, he admitted that he always discussed with his wife while monitoring the condition of Jakarta.

"As the Governor, every time it rains, I can't sleep now. Really, I can't sleep. Before, if it rained, I could sleep soundly. But now, my wife and I discuss together every time it rains," said Pramono in his speech at the launch of the City Investment Accelerator (ICIA) in the series of activities of the Indonesia Economic Summit, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, February 3.

Pramono said that several moments of heavy rain in January made him almost sleepless. Heavy rain became a signal for him to monitor the readiness of his ranks to anticipate flooding.

"January 12, January 18, January 22, I almost didn't sleep because I controlled my colleagues how to prepare for the flood in Jakarta," said Pramono.

Pramono admitted that today, he had reviewed one of the flood control infrastructure projects being built, namely the polder system and Daan Mogot pump house in West Jakarta. Pramono admitted that floods often hit the area, especially during heavy rain.

Meanwhile, for the medium term, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government will prepare the construction of a flyover. However, in the short term, handling still relies on pump optimization.

"I made a decision, okay, we will prepare a flyover to solve this problem in the medium term. However, for the short term, we must use pumping to solve the flooding problem at Kilometer 13 Daan Mogot," he explained.

Pramono also touched on the condition of the Mookervart River, whose surface was said to be above the road. This situation makes the surrounding area prone to flooding even though the rain is not too heavy.

In addition to handling in Daan Mogot, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government continues to carry out the river normalization program as part of the medium-term solution. Pramono said the normalization of the Ciliwung River, Cakung Lama, and Krukut has begun.

"We are still carrying out normalization, whether it's the normalization of Ciliwung, the normalization of Old Cakung, and Krukut. Now it has started. Next week or two weeks later, at the latest, I will work with the ATR/BPN ministry to complete the land acquisition that has not been resolved," he added.