Jakarta Eyes 2027 Deadline for Cakung Lama River Overhaul

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung visited the Rawa Indah area in North Jakarta on Tuesday (1/27) to oversee dredging operations at the Cakung Lama River.

Our aim is to stay on track and wrap this up by the end of 2027

This work aims to tackle persistent flooding in the region by clearing sediment along a 5.3-mile section of the waterway. He targets a completion date for the massive infrastructure project by the end of 2027.

"We are continuing the normalization of this river. Our aim is to stay on track and wrap this up by the end of 2027," he said during the site visit.

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It also aims to restore drainage function and increase river capacity, addressing significant bottlenecks—particularly in downstream areas. He explained, the dredging volume will total approximately 45,000 cubic meters across 17 different segments.

Besides dredging, the restoration will target critical narrow points, specifically in the Begog area where the river’s width has shrunk to just 2 meters. Plans call for widening the river to 15 meters to significantly boost its water-holding capacity.

He emphasized that the Jakarta government has allocated a budget for dredging and river restoration projects, including funds for land acquisition.

"I can't disclose the exact figures yet, but in principle, I have decided that this cannot be a piecemeal effort. We must see it through to completion," he continued.

These efforts are expected to resolve persistent flooding during heavy rainfall in several areas, including Kelapa Gading, Sukapura, Cilincing, and Semper Barat.

"This represents a mid-term strategy to manage the flooding issues that have plagued Jakarta for years," he noted.

Beyond river improvements, Pramono cited a multi-pronged approach to flood defense, mentioning weather modification programs as well as massive infrastructure projects like the Giant Sea Wall and the NCICD coastal defense plan.

Jakarta Water Resources Sub-agency (SDA) Head, Ika Agustin Ningrum added, her side have staged a fleet of heavy equipment, including nine amphibious excavators and two long-arm units, to speed up river dredging operations.

"Personnel are on-site working a standard week, from 8 AM to 4 PM, Monday to Friday," she explained.

The project aims to fix a major bottleneck: the Cakung Lama River has narrowed from its original 20 meters width to just 2 to 3 meters. The narrowing is largely due to illegal encroachment along the river’s edge.

This loss of capacity has made the surrounding areas—including Cilincing, Kelapa Gading, and Koja—highly vulnerable to flash flooding whenever storms hit the city