Reviewing The Construction Of Ciliwung River Sows, Luhut: Expected To Be Completed By 2022

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (Photo: Kemenkomarves)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan inspected the construction of a drain from the Ciliwung River to the East Flood Canal yesterday.

During his visit, Luhut was accompanied by Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Sofyan Djalil, Head of Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Moeldoko, Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan, and East Jakarta Mayor Muhammad Anwar.

This sodetan project is one of the flood control measures in Jakarta carried out by the central government, in addition to river normalization. This drain is made to control flooding from upstream to downstream.

When reviewing the progress of the Sodetan project, Luhut targeted the construction to be completed faster than the initial target. Previously, the Sodetan project was targeted to be completed in the second quarter of 2023.

"There are only 600 meters left, we target with PUPR and it is hoped that it will be completed in 2022 in the third quarter, so it will be faster than the previous target," Luhut said in an official statement, quoted on Thursday, August 5.

It is known that the Ciliwung River drain project was initiated in 2013. In 2015, the construction of the 550-meter-long Ciliwung River drain was completed. Then continued in 2015-2017 with the construction of permanent outlets and retaining walls of Kali Cipinang.

Unfortunately, the work has stopped because the DKI Provincial Government has not yet acquired the land for the Sodetan project area as a whole. Then, in 2021, the PUPR Ministry will continue the work of the Ciliwung River drains to the 714-meter East Flood Canal, so that the total length of the drain will be 1.26 kilometers.

The construction of this drain will reduce the flood discharge of the Ciliwung River by flowing 60 m3/second of water into the East Flood Canal, when the Ciliwung River is no longer able to accommodate the water discharge at an estimated 25-year re-flood discharge of 508 m3/second.