Radinal angry over Ancol bridge design<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar is
\nangry about the building of a bridge in Ancol which obstructs the
\nAncol River's flow.<\/p>\n
The bridge is in front of Ancol Dreamland's entrance in North
\nJakarta. Radinal and his staff inspected it Thursday to check
\npreparations for the expected floods.<\/p>\n
\"Why are they obstructing the river flow while we're busy
\nwidening the rivers?\" Radinal was quoted by Antara as asking.<\/p>\n
The report said the bridge was built by construction company
\nPT Satria Fajar.<\/p>\n
The bridge belongs to city-owned construction company PT
\nPembangunan Jaya and Ciputra Group, which manages the Ancol
\nDreamland.<\/p>\n
Radinal said he did not know who issued the construction
\npermit for the bridge. He said he would ask Governor Surjadi
\nSoedirdja to explain.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not forbidding anybody from building a bridge, but the
\nriver flow should not be obstructed,\" Radinal said.<\/p>\n
He said the bridge's foundation structures should be on both
\nsides of the river's banks instead of in the river.<\/p>\n
Present at the inspection were the ministry's Director General
\nof Water Resources Development, Soeparmono, Director General of
\nHighways Soeharsono Martakim, Director General of Human
\nSettlement Rachmadi BS and Secretary General Ruslan Diwiryo.<\/p>\n
Radinal was also angry at Dreamland's management for dumping
\nwaste into the Ancol River.<\/p>\n
\"Why don't they build a sewerage system straight to the sea?\"
\nhe asked. He said such disposal methods were not ethical.<\/p>\n
\"They have the money, so why create a burden for the
\ngovernment?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
The waste would decrease the river's capacity and make the
\nflood control pump less effective. The pump was built by the
\nministry to prevent floods in the surrounding Sunter, Pademangan,
\nGunung Sahari and Mangga Dua areas.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Prawoto S. Danoemihardjo, the city's assistant
\nsecretary for economic and development affairs, said the bridge
\nin front of the Ancol Dreamland was temporary.<\/p>\n
The bridge was built in 1974 and was no longer appropriate for
\npublic traffic and would be replaced, he said.<\/p>\n
Prawoto said the city decided to raise the bridge's foundation
\nbut the structures were left in their original place.<\/p>\n
\"We are repairing the bridge by raising its foundation to
\nprepare for the coming New Year when people will be crowding into
\nAncol,\" Prawoto said.<\/p>\n
If the bridge collapsed during New Year celebrations many
\npeople would get angry, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Next year, the bridge will be demolished,\" Prawoto said.<\/p>\n
The new bridges's foundation would be built next to the old
\none, he said.<\/p>\n
The new bridge would not obstruct the river's flow, he said.<\/p>\n
The new bridge would link Ancol to Jl. Gunung Sahari, Prawoto
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The city public works office has spent Rp 15 billion (US$6.52
\nmillion) dredging the city's twelve rivers, including the Ancol
\nRiver, since September.<\/p>\n
These are efforts to curb the annual floods when the wet
\nseason reaches its peak.<\/p>\n
Dredging rivers, which is one way to increase river capacity
\nwithout acquiring more land, is expected to prevent the severe
\nflooding Jakarta suffered last January and February.<\/p>\n
The administration is also increasing the height of flood
\ncanal walls and fixing water pumps.<\/p>\n
The National Development Planning Board has earmarked about Rp
\n12 billion from the 1996\/1997 budget for greater Jakarta flood
\ncontrol projects. (ste)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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