Tangled Cables in Mampang, South Jakarta, Cause Frequent Slips for Residents
The chaotic installation of cables on Jalan Kuningan Barat Raya, Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta, is causing significant distress to local residents. These cables frequently cause people to slip and fall due to slippery conditions.
Observations at the location on Wednesday (30/09/2026) revealed tangled cables at several points, starting from the entrance before the Mampang Prapatan intersection near MI Raudhatul Mutaallimin, extending towards the buildings near Jalan Gatot Subroto.
At the first location, approximately eight cable support poles were seen clustered directly in front of a building materials shop. These poles are tightly packed, supporting a mass of tangled wiring. Some cables are hanging low, dangling near the pavement, while others are scattered along the roadside.
Some dangling cables appear to have merely been rolled up and left protruding from the ground, with some becoming soiled by dirt. Other cables are left exposed above the surface. Ira, a local shop employee, stated that these ground-level cables frequently cause customers to suffer accidents.
“It is very disruptive. It is slippery even when it doesn’t rain; imagine how it is when it does rain. Many motorcyclists fall. People entering the shop end up slipping because it is so slick,” Ira said at the scene.
She noted that this condition has persisted for a long time. Having worked at the shop for 30 years, she finds the sight highly disturbing. “It hasn’t been long since they were installed, but after heavy rain, they pop up above the surface. This has been going on for about five years,” she explained.
Ira mentioned that customers feel aggrieved after falling in front of the shop, with some even expressing anger. “They just get angry, but who can they complain to? We are confused. We don’t even know who owns the cables; they were just installed suddenly,” she added.
Another local resident, Herlan, also stated that the tangled cable situation is a long-standing issue. He noted that cables intended to be buried underground have not been properly managed.
“As far as I know, there has been no progress. Neither the overhead cables nor the ones underground have been properly sorted or buried,” Herlan said. He added that many people have fallen and been injured, particularly during the rainy season when the ground becomes slippery, yet there has been no intervention from the government.
Herlan even noted that some residents and local schools have pooled their own funds to cover the scattered cables on the ground because of the danger they pose. “The area in front of the school and the parking lot used their own money to cover them because it is genuinely dangerous,” he said.
Herlan added that the tangled cables also pose a fire risk. He recalled an incident where a cluster of cables recently caught fire. “It is terrifying. Not long ago, a power pole across the street caught fire. I don’t know if it was because of the cables or something else,” he said.
He expressed hope that the cables would soon receive attention and be tidied up, especially with the rainy season approaching. “The residents want them tidied up. If they are meant to be underground, then bury them properly. Don’t leave them protruding from the road; it is a major disturbance,” he concluded.