Hundreds of households living in Kampung Pulo, Kampung Melayu Urban Village, Jatinegara, East Jakarta, will be relocated into the Jatinegara Flat in the upcoming March. It is one of the city administration efforts to minimize the impact of floods in the capital.

This is surely our priority. But we have to wait for the construction of Jatinegara Barat Flat. It is impossible if we demolish citizen homes but there is no a place to stay

East Jakarta Mayor, Bambang Musyawardhana disclosed relocation for Kampung Pulo citizens is a priority program. Without it, the flooding will continue to haunt citizens in densely populated areas. Moreover, its location is precisely on the banks of Ciliwung River.

"This is surely our priority. But we have to wait for the construction of Jatinegara Barat Flat. It is impossible if we demolish citizen homes but there is no a place to stay," he exclaimed, Sunday (1/18).

Therefore, he asks the developer to immediately finish the construction, thus relocation can be done soon.

Head of East Jakarta Housing and Government Buildings Sub-Department, Ujang Zainuddin expressed the construction itself is covered by Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing. If the construction is done, the city administration will manage the flat.

"It is predicted to finish at the end of February and then continued with raffling phase in March," he told.

He furthered the flat has 520 units with three blocks. Whereas, the number of households who would be relocated is reaching 561. That means, the remaining 41 households would not get the flat and would be transferred to Cipinang Besar Selatan and Komarudin Flats. 

Meanwhile, Head of Jatinegara Sub-District, Sofyan Taher added while waiting the relocation, flood handling in Kampung Pulo will remain be conducted, especially at the peak of flooding that predicts to happen in the end of January.

"Flood handling in Kampung Pulo is our responsibility. Even we also get assistance from City Police thus we can do it optimally," he expressed.