Truck Strikes Jakarta Footbridge, Prompting Emergency Demolition
The handling by Bina Marga will first involve demolishing this pedestrian bridge. Because we can see the foundation on this side, the pillar has come loose, so we have no choice but to remove it. The removal cannot be partial; it must be the entire structure. Why? Because we have no support in the middle.
Kasudin Bina Marga, Rifki Rismal, told reporters on Tuesday (14/7) that his party is coordinating with the police and the Transportation Agency (Dishub) regarding the demolition plan. He said the road lane heading towards Blok M will be closed during the process. We will close one direction heading to Blok M completely. For the other direction, we will close half of it. Because the structure has no central pillar, we need the space, then we will dismantle it. That is our handling plan.
Rifky stated the demolition is planned to begin at 10.00 WIB while waiting for the arrival of heavy equipment to dismantle the bridge structure. The first step is to cut off the roof of the JPO, because the distance is too close. We will sever it first, then remove the girders. Hopefully, by late afternoon it will be finished.
Meanwhile, South Jakarta Police Traffic Unit Head Kompol Mujiyanto explained that traffic diversions will be implemented from various directions. Vehicles coming from the east wanting to go up the flyover will automatically be diverted in front of the Mampang Police Station. They will be directed to turn left or make a U-turn towards Trans TV. Then, those from Warung Buncit heading left will be directed down to the underpass. The underpass will lead to the Kuningan traffic light. So, they can then turn left towards Gatot Subroto.
Traffic diversion routes were also shared via the Polda Metro Jaya Traffic Management Centre’s X account. Vehicles from Tegal Parang heading to Santa or Blok M are temporarily diverted via Jalan Mampang or the Mampang traffic light.
The DKI Jakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) previously stated that the incident, which occurred on Tuesday (14/7) around 00.30 WIB, began when a vehicle with registration number B-9077-UFU was travelling along Jalan Kapten P Tendean. The driver saw the pedestrian bridge, but was unaware as he was focused on his mobile phone. It is suspected that because the driver did not calculate the distance between the load being transported and the JPO, the crane he was carrying got caught while passing. As a result, the unit being transported snagged part of the JPO, causing the bridge to be quite badly damaged.