More than 200 km of drainage in Bandung badly damaged

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, West Java

Bandung is a favored destination, especially for short holiday trips from the capital, but the poor state of its drainage, which causes traffic congestion, will increasingly put visitors off, an official here said.

Head of the municipality's public works agency Rusjaf Adimanggala said more than 200 kilometers (km) of drainage in the city were in need of major repair due to building development, which caused flooding on almost all roads every time it rained, hastening erosion of the asphalt surface.

"Directly or indirectly, congestion can influence public perceptions of convenience and, in turn, attractiveness to tourism. People will be dissuaded from coming here," Rusjaf said.

Damage affects only 20 percent of 1,200 km of road but it occurs where traffic is dense, such as around Jl. Juanda, Jl. Merdeka and the downtown area.

Flooding caused by the damaged drainage also occurs in markets such as those at Simpang Dago, Ciroyom, Rajawali and Astanaanyar.

Rusjaf said the damage was partly a result of mud clogging the drainage system but mainly due to drains being covered by semi- permanent structures, such as makeshift kiosks.

The silting up of streams near bridges also worsened the situation, he said, leading to flooding. He added that by the end of the rainy season damaged roads would likely amount to 70 percent of Bandung's total 1,000 km of road.

Flooding is also triggered by waste thrown into sewers, he said. Repair costs are taken from the budget, which is only Rp 7 billion a year.

"We have repeatedly raised the matter with the budget committee, but there has not been any serious response," Rusjaf said. "Public information campaigns (about the consequences of throwing waste into sewers, for instance) haven't been successful either," he said.

By way of comparison, a study by the Bandung Institute of Governance Studies revealed earlier that the 2003 Bandung municipality budget had allocated Rp 86 billion to mass organizations, including youth and religious organizations.