Jakarta Takes a Rain Check on Road Repairs
Reported by Dessy Suciati | Translated by Nugroho Adibrata
Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung says weather is delaying much-needed road repairs across the city.
If we patch them now, they will just peel off in a day or two
According to him, the Public Works Agency is standing by to fix potholes, but persistent rain makes immediate work impossible.
"If we patch them now, they will just peel off in a day or two because of the heavy rain expected through early February," he stated, Tuesday (1/27).
Cilandak Drainage Upgraded to Mitigate FloodingAccording to him, attempting to fix potholes while the rain is still pouring is often a losing battle. He pointed to a recent failure on Jalan Gatot Subroto, where fresh asphalt patches quickly deteriorated under the weight of a heavy downpour.
"We saw it happen yesterday on Jalan Gatot Subroto. I had personally ordered that fix, but the intensity of the rain was just too much, and the repairs didn't hold," he explained.
Beyond just timing the repairs for clear skies, he is calling for long-term fixes rather than quick patches. He urged officials to prioritize full road resurfacing for increased resilience. While he acknowledged that repaving takes longer than filling potholes, he confirmed that the city has the funds ready.
Pramono emphasized that the Jakarta government has already earmarked the budget required for the asphalt upgrades.
"It’s not just about patching holes; it’s about laying down new asphalt. That process takes time. I will instruct the teams to begin repairs as soon as the rainfall subsides, as funding is not an issue for Jakarta," he emphasized.
