East Flood Canal kicks off with revised design
East Flood Canal kicks off with revised design
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri initiated the East Flood Canal
construction on Thursday, a project that has been three decades
in the waiting, along with four infrastructure projects and 26
private power plants nationwide.
The Rp 4.997 trillion (US$609.4 million) canal project is
expected to protect some 25 percent of Jakarta's territory from
annual flooding. However, the figure from the Ministry of
Settlements and Regional Infrastructure showed that the project
will cost Rp 4.124 trillion.
The project, which has been redesigned to meet the public's
needs, was finally launched with a loan provided by the Japan
Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), ending the problem of
funding sources.
Through a teleconference, Governor Sutiyoso promised the
President, who was in Jepara, Central Java, that the project
would be completed in 2007, the year he finishes his tenure. The
ministry has predicted that the project would be completed in
seven years.
"We hope this project will significantly resolve the problem
of annual floods in the eastern part of the city and will become
a center of development," Sutiyoso said in Ujung Menteng, East
Jakarta, at one section of the canal.
Head of the Jakarta Public Works Agency IGKG Suena claimed
that areas covering Kebon Nanas, Cipinang, Pulo Mas, Pondok
Kelapa, Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta and Kelapa Gading, Sukapura
and Rorotan in North Jakarta will be free of floods.
The canal project leader Bambang Sucipto Yuwono said that the
project, which begins in Cipinang in East Jakarta and ends in
Marunda in North Jakarta, was designed by Netherlands Engineering
Consultants (Nedeco) in 1973.
However, the function of the canal will be expanded to not
only resolve floods in the city but also for transportation,
recreation and as a center for economic growth.
He said that due to its expanded function, the ministry was
currently reviewing the design which is expected to be completed
late this year.
The new design will alter such aspects as the width and depth
of the canal and also its construction in several spots.
Sutiyoso said that based on the original design, the canal
would be 100 meters in width and five meters in depth. Since it
will also be used for transportation, the width is to be expanded
up to 300 meters in several places and the depth should not be
less than eight meters.
"The wider part of the canal will be used as boat stops,"
Bambang said, adding that ideas from the public are welcome
during the design process.
Other facilities to be made available along the canal include
residences, commercial centers and recreation centers. The canal
will also be provided with 18 meter-wide inspection roads along
left and right hand sides.
The East Flood Canal together with the existing West Flood
Canal will function to take in water from 13 rivers in the city,
which originate in the highlands of West Java.
Suena had said earlier that the administration had not found
an appropriate scheme to compensate land owners in order to clear
the land for the canal construction.