South Jakarta Government Completes Drain Repairs in Lenteng Agung Within Three Days
The South Jakarta Water Resources Sub-department has completed repairs on a drainage system that caused a collapse on Lenteng Agung Road, Jagakarsa, within three days to ensure traffic on the route returns to normal.
“We are grateful and thankful, particularly to our colleagues from the Department of Transportation, the sub-district, the village office, the Water Resources department, and the contractors, that we were able to complete this work within 3x24 hours,” said Horas Yosua, Head of the Construction and Drainage Improvement Section of the South Jakarta Water Resources Sub-department, to journalists in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Horas stated that the successful completion of the work was due to the support of various parties, including the Department of Transportation, local sub-district and village authorities, and the project contractors. According to him, the road collapse was triggered by the deteriorated condition of the old drainage pipes beneath the road surface. Addressing this damage was the primary focus of the repair process to prevent similar issues from recurring.
He explained that during the repair process, some lanes had to be closed, reducing road capacity and causing traffic congestion in the area. “We have now reopened the lanes to restore the vehicle-to-road ratio to normal. Both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles can now pass through normally,” he said.
Regarding the delay in reopening the road, which was originally scheduled for 05:00 WIB but moved to 08:00 WIB, Horas noted that they had to ensure the concrete used had reached the minimum strength required for vehicles. He explained that the concrete requires approximately eight hours for a chemical reaction to occur, providing sufficient strength before the road is reopened. “We waited for the pour to dry because of the chemical reaction in the concrete to reach a certain strength. By waiting those eight hours, we are more confident in reopening the road in a better condition,” he added.
Horas further noted that while the functional repair work is complete and the road is usable by the public, the concrete curing process will continue. He explained that while concrete generally reaches optimal strength after 28 days, special additives were used in this project to accelerate the hardening process, allowing the road to be reused more quickly without compromising safety. With the completion of these works, traffic flow on Lenteng Agung Road, which previously experienced congestion due to lane closures, is expected to return to normal.