JPO Marunda in North Jakarta Damaged, Expert: Can Only Build, Weak Maintenance

Professor Bobi Setiawan from the Urban and Regional Planning Programme at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta has highlighted several damaged facilities on the Pedestrian Overpass (JPO) in Marunda, North Jakarta. According to Bobi, this damage reflects the weakness in maintaining public facilities by the government after construction is completed. “We can only build, maintenance is weak,” said Bobi when contacted by Kompas.com on Thursday (23/4/2026). Based on Kompas.com’s observations at the site, the JPO Marunda is approximately 22.6 metres long, 3 metres wide, and 5.5 metres high from the road surface. Both lifts are equipped with glass protectors featuring an orange batik pattern. However, these facilities are now unusable due to damage since Ramadan 2026. As a result, users, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, and children, must climb around 43 steps to cross. Bobi assesses that damage to facilities like lifts also occurs frequently on other JPOs and serves as evidence of weak maintenance. Bobi emphasises that the presence of lifts in public facilities like JPOs is very important to support accessibility. “It is very important because we must still ensure humane areas and fulfil citizens’ rights,” said Bobi. He suggests that the lifts on the JPO Marunda be repaired immediately. Without lifts, the public tends to avoid using the JPO and opts to cross the road directly, which risks endangering safety. With proper maintenance, he believes the lifespan of public facilities can be longer and remain optimally usable by the public.