Tegal Alur Residents: Please Normalize Apuran River

The residents living on the bank of Apuran River, Tegal Alur Urban Village, Kalideres Sub-District, West Jakarta, are requesting Jakarta Provincial Government to immediately normalize the river because its condition is already very shallow and narrow. As a result, the river often overflows and water inundates their settlement up to one meter high during rainy season.

Apuran River has not been dredged for dozens of years, so it is filled with trash and mud

“Apuran River has not been dredged for dozens of years, so it is filled with trash and mud. The river is already shallow and narrow, and becomes one of the reasons why our settlement always flooded during rainy season,” expressed Norman (48), one of RT 03/07 Tegal Alur residents, Sunday (11/2).

Responding on this matter, Head of Tegal Alur Urban Village, Anik Sulastri, stated that her party has submitted proposal in the Development Planning Meeting (Musrenbang) for Apuran River to be dredged immediately. Because of the trash and mud, the river water cannot flow smoothly to the river.

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“Semongol River, for instance. After being checked by Jakarta Public Works Department, its condition is the same with sea level. That’s why during rainy season the river water spills out because it cannot flow into the sea,” she explained.

According to Sulastri, a waterway would be built on Apuran River for as long as 1,000 meters starting from Pergudangan Miami until North Jakarta (Tunjungan River). Thus far, the data collection and measuring have been done, and the project is predicted to be realized this month.

“The residents and I really wish for the waterway construction project to be carried out as soon as possible. Moreover, rainy season is coming,” she said.