Cawang Residents Accept Demolition for Ciliwung River Normalisation

A number of houses in RW 03, Cawang Urban Village, Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, began to be demolished on Wednesday (15/7/2026) as part of the Ciliwung River normalisation project. This demolition marks the initial stage of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government’s efforts to accelerate flood control in the capital. Rows of houses that had stood for decades on the riverbanks have slowly been reduced to rubble. Alleyways previously filled with residents’ activities have now turned into expanses of building debris. One resident expressed support for the normalisation, which has been under discussion since the era of President Soeharto. He noted that flooding has been a persistent problem in the area, with water levels once reaching the chest of an adult even when residents were on the second floor of their homes. The resident, who has lived there since 1972, added that flooding conditions have worsened significantly since 2022. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is targeting the completion of the Ciliwung River normalisation project in the Rawajati, Pangadegan, Cawang, and Cililitan segments by 2027, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Jakarta.