Deputy Minister of Public Works Instructs Emergency Handling of Kedungrejo Weir in Madiun

Madiun (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Public Works (Wamen PU) Diana Kusumastuti has instructed emergency handling for the condition of the embankment at Kedungrejo Weir in Pilangkenceng Subdistrict, Madiun Regency, East Java, which has collapsed, with the process targeted to take two weeks.

Wamen PU Diana stated that the initial handling, in collaboration with the Bengawan Solo River Basin Organisation (BBWS Bengawan Solo), will involve emergency steps such as cleaning sedimentation and demolishing the damaged building sections to redirect the river flow.

“We will carry out the emergency handling first. The sedimentation will be cleaned, and then the collapsed building parts will be demolished so that the river flow can be redirected. This process is estimated to take about two weeks,” said Deputy Minister Diana during her inspection of the collapsed Kedungrejo Weir structure in Madiun on Wednesday.

The Kedungrejo Weir suffered severe damage after the embankment controlling the water flow collapsed on Friday (27/3/2026), followed by a landslide on the surrounding cliffs in the early hours of Tuesday (31/3/2026).

According to her, the Kedungrejo Weir is an old structure built in 1936 and has only undergone renovation once around the 1970s. This condition is considered the cause of the weir’s damage.

She assessed that the damage to the weir has a significant impact because the Kedungrejo Weir irrigates an area of 1,554 hectares of rice fields in the Pilangkenceng Subdistrict and surrounding areas.

After the emergency handling, she continued, the government will propose permanent reconstruction of the weir through the scheme of Presidential Instruction Number 2 of 2025 regarding the acceleration of development, rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of irrigation networks to support food self-sufficiency. The estimated budget requirement for permanent handling is around Rp20 billion, with detailed engineering design (DED) to be prepared by the provincial government.

“For the reconstruction, we are collaborating with the province and regency as well, so that the water remains controlled and does not overflow everywhere, and can be directed for irrigation,” said Diana.

Deputy Regent of Madiun Purnomo Hadi appreciated the central government’s quick response in following up on the damage to the Kedungrejo Weir. The local government immediately reported the damage incident to the ministry and related agencies, due to its crucial function.

He stated that the repair of the Kedungrejo Weir is very urgent because it plays an important role in the irrigation system supporting the agricultural sector in Madiun Regency.

“The most important thing is that the weir’s function can be restored as soon as possible. After that, permanent construction will be carried out. This is important because the weir supports more than 1,500 hectares of rice fields and is part of efforts to maintain food security,” said Purnomo.

During the inspection in Madiun Regency, Deputy Minister Diana was accompanied by the Deputy Regent of Madiun, as well as officials from the East Java Public Works Water Resources Agency and the Bengawan Solo River Basin Organisation.

Currently, dozens of personnel have been deployed to the site along with equipment and materials to carry out the emergency handling.