First Day of Work, Bang Doel Looks at the Riverbank and Offers Residents Relocation to Flats

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Rano Karno, conducted impromptu visits to two flood-prone areas on his first day of work. Rano observed the conditions and challenges of flood control. He also engaged in dialogue with residents regarding the possibility of relocation to apartment housing.

Rano and the regional apparatus organization first observed the dredging of the Krukut River on NIS Street, Cilandak Timur Subdistrict, South Jakarta, on Friday morning (21/2/2025). They inspected several points near residential areas where dredging was underway and some sections were being reinforced.

In that area, many houses are built along the riverbanks. There are even structures occupying the river's body. The embankments made of sacks are also not effective in holding back the water. The river's width has also become increasingly narrow due to sedimentation.

"Stretching 700 meters long but narrow. (Due to limited road access) heavy equipment has difficulty entering. The technical challenges in the field must be understood, and solutions must be found immediately," said Bang Doel, the familiar nickname of Rano Karno.

Going forward, he requested residents not to construct buildings on top of retaining walls. The reason is that such practices would only hinder optimal flood control. Instead, residents are being offered relocation to apartment complexes.

According to Bang Doel, relocation is most possible. However, he said, the offer must be accompanied by socialization and the availability of housing units.

"That's why earlier I asked the residents, how many years have you been affected by floods? Every year. Do you want it to continue like this? They said no. So, there is a desire to move. The important thing is that we must change our fate," said Bang Doel.

Residents welcomed the efforts of the Jakarta Provincial Government. They said they were tired of dealing with flooding.

Ayana (74), a resident of Jalan NIS, for example, lost her belongings due to the flood. This was because her house was submerged to a height of more than 1 meter.

"All my belongings were swept away," said Ayana.

He hopes Bang Doel's arrival is a sign of the government's seriousness in routinely dredging the Krukut River. That also completes the embankment so that the water does not overflow into settlements.

Next, Bang Doel reviewed the dredging of the Mookervart River, Jalan Rawa Buaya and Jalan H Dairi, West Jakarta. The length is 1,040 meters with a width of 30 meters and a height of 1 meter.

The Jakarta Water Resources Agency is targeting to dredge 31,200 cubic meters of mud from the stream. Dredging will begin on February 12 and will last until August 31.

Yatima (48), a resident, hopes that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government can help with pumps. This is because the residents' rented houses are lower than the river, so the flood takes a long time to recede. "We have to use a pump so that the water recedes quickly," said Yatima.

Tati (52), another resident, also said something similar. Residents cannot raise their houses or renovate them because they only have the status of tenants. "So it's difficult. We only made a kind of stage to secure our belongings. If the water gets higher, we have to evacuate," said Tati.

However, both said they were still considering if they were offered relocation to the flats. One of the reasons was the nominal rental fee.

They hope the price is the same as the current rental price, Rp 500,000 to Rp 600,000 per month. "We are thinking about moving even though (there) is no flood," said Tati.

After visiting the river, Bang Doel also took the time to go to Rusunawa Pesakih, Cengkareng, West Jakarta. He talked with the manager regarding the availability of water and other facilities.

Bang Doel then looked around one of the floors of the rusunawa. The PDI-P politician chatted with one of the residents because most of the residents were working.

According to him, if residents from the riverbanks or slum areas are willing to live in flats, then the housing problems in Jakarta can be resolved slowly. For that, massive socialization is needed so that residents are willing to be relocated.

"So we persuade residents to move with a good approach. If that works, we will continue to try other things, such as cleanliness and all the obligations of flat residents," said Bang Doel.