Regarding The Development Of Giant Sea Embankments, Ministry Of PUPR: Not Yet A Central Government Priority

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has responded to the urgency of the construction of a giant sea wall in Jakarta to reduce flooding and sea level rise.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of PUPR Endra S. Atmawidjaja said the central government is currently focusing on building dams as raw water reserves as well as being able to encourage national food security.

Meanwhile, for flood protection, his party still relies on existing coastal embankments.

"From the PUPR, yes, not yet. That's the long term, right, this government is not that way. The Master Plan already exists, but, right, there has been no political decision to build it. This is a priority issue," Endra told reporters in Jakarta, Wednesday, February 15.

According to Endra, the "giant sea wall" development project is a long-term progress, so it is not only for the protection of sea water, but as a potential for new businesses and the economy in the future.

This is also related to land narrowing in Jakarta, where the construction of a giant sea wall needs to be reclamation. This means that the project needs to be accompanied by vertical development.

"So, right, we really need space, yes, including at PIK it has been done, but if this is because we came from the North, we have to do it in a different way. Apart from us building embankments, there is also a toll road, so that we can pay for the embankment with toll roads," he added.

Even so, Endra emphasized that the government does not yet have an interest in prioritizing the development of a "giant sea wall" for Jakarta, especially now that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is focusing on the development of IKN Nusantara.

"Meanwhile, we also want to build IKN, is it still relevant? That, right, only for Jakarta, maybe the DKI Government will do it, but it is not yet a priority for the current government," he added.

Previously, the Acting Governor of DKI Heru Budi Hartono said that the construction of a giant sea wall or "Giant Sea Wall" was in the planning stage.

"We have also coordinated with Bappenas, the Ministry of Fisheries, perhaps in the planning maturation stage," Heru said as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, January 24.

The construction of a giant sea wall experienced the dynamics of the concept discussed from 2007 to 2020. The concept discussed in 2020 will again be finalized between the DKI Provincial Government and the Central Government.

Heru targets the development concept to be completed within the next three months between the DKI Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).