Portrait of a Slum Neighbourhood in West Jakarta: Narrow Alleys Without Sunlight and the Smell of Drains

In a corner of Jakarta, a city increasingly developing and claimed to be a global metropolis, lies the story of residents surviving in narrow alleys without sunlight. In these dark and damp narrow alleys, residents have no choice but to live in settlements now categorised as severely slum-like in Jakarta. This scene is clearly captured in RW 03, Jembatan Besi Ward, Tambora District, West Jakarta. This area was recently mentioned by DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung as one of the portraits of slum neighbourhoods (RW) that will become a government priority for redevelopment. Space for movement is extremely limited. Parked motorbikes, laundry drying, and residents’ shoe racks must share the cramped spaces. Overhead, the view is no less stifling. Residents’ houses are built upwards due to the dense land. The second floors of these semi-permanent buildings protrude forward until their roofs touch those of houses across the way. As a result, the alley is completely covered, like a tunnel in the middle of the settlement. This condition makes the alley very dark, forcing residents to keep lights on in their front porches for 24 hours a day. The lack of light and poor air circulation makes the air in the residents’ environment very humid. Several times, an unpleasant smell wafts from the stagnant drain water filled with rubbish. For Fina (46), a resident who has lived in RW 03 Jembatan Besi for 25 years, this condition is no longer surprising to her family. She admits that the situation is quite concerning, but she has no choice but to accept it as the only affordable place to live. “It’s concerning, if you say it’s concerning, yes, this is also my home, I live here. But whether it’s decent or not, I don’t know. Because, you know, we’re in a place where sunlight doesn’t enter here, it’s all covered,” said Fina when met by Kompas.com at the location on Thursday (7/5/2026). To simply dry clothes, she has to walk about 100 metres to a more open alley area. “Here, the lights are on 24 hours on the porch; if not, it’s dark. Like it or not, we use a small light, as long as it’s visible,” she said. Nevertheless, she claims that the condition has improved since the area redevelopment in 2021. Years ago, the alley was not only dark but also reeked of rot due to clogged drains full of mosquito larvae. Now, the drain water flows thanks to the channel improvements, although the darkness and humidity still persist.