Normalization program of a number of rivers in the city keep continuously accelerated. In North Jakarta, Sentiong River normalization on Jalan Sunter Jaya along 1.5 kilometers has been completed. The program is then followed in Sentiong River downstream towards Ancol River that crossing Sunter Agung Urban Village, Tanjung Priok, Thursday (4/10). In addition to dredging along 2.5 kilometers length, some demolition in the east side of the river bank is also conducted.

The river that has 20 meters wide, has only about 1 meter depth than the original condition of 3 meters depth since it was filled with sediment mud. Along the east side bank, it is also filled with about 200 illegal buildings consisting of semi-permanent building for business place such as grocery stall and plant stall.

According to the plan, the normalization is done with mud dredge until 2,5 to 3 meters depth. This normalization project also includes the widening of Jalan Danau Sunter Barat which has a width of 5 meters that will be extended to 10 meters.

The chief of rivers and reservoirs normalization program of Jakarta Public Works (PU) Department, Heriyanto, stated that the work is a continuation of Sentiong River normalization program on Jalan Sunter Jaya. To perform this project, as many as 6 backhoes and 10 units of trucks were deployed.

"On the east side river bank, there are approximately 200 buildings, of which hundred of them have had dismantled by their owners. While the rest of the buildings will gradually dismantle by its owner," he said, Thursday (4/10).

Head of Sunter Agung Urban Village, Indria Hilmi said that it has been urged and disseminated since last Friday (4/4) to the business owners to vacate the location for the normalization program.

"Their presence is also against the rules because it does not fit for the designation. They also understand and some of them have dismantled their own building by themselves," he stated.