Ancol bridge 'not obstructing river's flow'

JAKARTA (JP): Vice Governor TB. M. Rais yesterday refuted Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar's claims that the construction of a bridge, in front of Ancol Dreamland's entrance in North Jakarta, obstructed the Ancol river's flow.

Rais, who deals with economic and development affairs, said the bridge's foundations did not obstruct the river's flow because the canal functioned more as a water catchment area.

"The canal has been turned into a reservoir which will retain water from the Pademangan areas," he said.

While touring the city to check flood control systems last Thursday, Radinal discovered the bridge's foundations occupied three-quarters of the river's width

He said the bridge hampered the government's efforts to curb annual flooding during the wet season by blocking the river's flow.

The bridge is being built for the coming New Year's Eve activities in Ancol Dreamland as the old one is on the brink of collapse, said Prawoto, the city's assistant secretary for economic and development affairs.

The old bridge will be demolished next year.

During last Thursday's inspection Radinal criticized Dreamland's management for dumping waste into the Ancol river saying the waste would reduce the river's capacity and make the flood gates ineffective.

Rais said the Ciputra Group, which manages the recreation center, used to dump its waste into the river but said the city had ordered Dreamland's management to build a sewage system so the waste could go straight into the sea.

"The implementation of the order has just been carried out recently," he said. (02)