PAM Jaya Explains Water-Pipe Excavation in Kalideres Deemed Abandoned

JAKARTA — PT PAM Jaya has responded to residents’ complaints regarding a water pipeline excavation project on Jalan Peta Selatan, Kalideres, West Jakarta, which locals say has been left idle with no workers present at the site. Senior Manager Corporate & Customer Communication PAM Jaya Gatra Vaganza rejected the claim that the pipeline network expansion project, which began in late 2025, had been abandoned. According to Gatra, the absence of workers at the site is due to the construction method used, namely jacking or underground boring. He illustrated that the open-cut method would cut across the road along the work corridor, which would greatly disrupt traffic and local activity. Conversely, the jacking method only requires specific access pits to monitor and push the pipes from one end to the other underground. Therefore, the open holes seen along Jalan Peta Selatan at present are actually control pits to monitor the pipe position and movement, not the main physical work area. He explained: ‘During the process, if people pass by they might have that impression because the pipe is being pushed from the starting point underground to the end.’ ‘Yes, there isn’t any work on the surface because it’s for monitoring.’ ‘During the process, if people pass by they might have that impression, because the pipe is being pushed from the starting point under the ground to the end.’ However, the target had to be postponed to April 2026 due to technical obstacles on site, namely the existence of other underground utility networks that are buried and clash with PAM Jaya’s pipe route. He said: ‘So the situation at the excavation point is hindered. Beneath the excavation, there are other utility networks, so the progress is delayed.’ Earlier, residents along Jalan Peta Selatan complained about five pipe-excavation pits that occupy the road along the route toward Pegadungan. Residents said they are confused because the excavations were left open for months with no workers, causing traffic congestion especially during peak hours. Purwanto (50) said the water-pipe excavation project actually stretches quite long up to Jalan Satu Maret, Pegadungan. He added some pits in Pegadungan area are still under construction, while all excavations along Jalan Peta Selatan have been completed. He also questioned why PAM Jaya could not close an excavation once the pipe at the starting point had been installed before starting work on the next point. ‘In the initial phase it was busy. At all these points there were workers; now it’s finished and left behind. It seems everyone moved to the new excavations,’ he said.