The drainage system of the toll road is in the spotlight after flooding occurred at Kilometer 24 of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road, particularly on the way to Jakarta last Thursday.
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JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Anticipatory measures for flooding have been taken to ensure the traffic on a number of toll roads can move smoothly during the arus balik or reverse flow, when people return homefrom trips during the New Year 2020 holiday season. Some troubled drainage systems are being fixed.
State-owned toll road firm PT Jasa Marga president director Desi Arryani said that water pumps and sandbags had been prepared. This was done in anticipation of recurring floods during the peak traffic of arus balik on the New Year holiday, which was predicted to occur on Saturday and Sunday.
"Anticipation is also carried out by checking the drainage canals so that they function properly, particularly in locations that are prone to flooding," Desi said on Friday.
The drainage system of the toll road is in the spotlight after flooding occurred at Kilometer 24 of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road, particularly on the way to Jakarta last Thursday.
The flooding caused severe gridlock up to 18 km long, starting from KM 24 to KM 42. "One of the causes of flooding at KM 24 is because the drainage is clogged," said Sr. Comr. Benjamin, chief of operations at the National Police traffic corps.
In line with Benjamin, the head of the Indonesia Toll Road Authority (BPJT), Danang Parikesit, said the flooding was caused by the accumulation of heavy rainfall, water canals that did not work perfectly and water from overflowing rivers entering the toll road. "The anticipatory steps include the operation of the cross drain so that the flow of water to Kalimalang can work properly," said Danang.
Yesterday, the BPJT, some state-owned toll road operators (BUJT) and the directorate general of highways at the Public Works and Housing Ministry discussed the anticipatory steps to deal with flooding on the toll roads. From the meeting, it was agreed that the BUJT were responsible for checking and ensuring the drainage system on each toll road section.
In addition, the parties agreed to mutually utilize flood management equipment or materials. The anticipatory steps are taken so that congestion will not happen again during the peak traffic of arus balik of the New Year holiday season. The second peak traffic is predicted to occur on Jan. 4-5.
Listed toll road company PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada (CMNP) director Djoko Sapto said that to deal with the flooding the company had increased water pump capacity in each flood-prone toll road. PT CMNP, along with Jasa Marga, is the operator of the Tanjung Priok access toll road.
Another step is to raise up the embankment of the Cipinang River near the Cawang underpass on the Inner City Toll Road section. It also coordinated with related agencies in the effort to normalize the Cipinang River and dredge the mud because the sedimentation was already high.
Cipali Toll Road
President director of PT Lintas Marga Sedaya (LMS) Firdaus Azis explained, in anticipation of flooding in the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) toll road, which is managed by PT LMS, sedimentation in the Cilanang River had been dredged. That way, it is expected the river can accommodate abundant water from high-intensity rainfall so that the overflow does not enter the Cipali toll road again.
PT LMS is also building a 500-meter embankment in the direction to Jakarta, precisely at KM 136. "Installation of surveillance cameras is ongoing so that if the floods recur, anticipatory action can be taken immediately," said Firdaus.
He added that the drainage system on the toll road only functioned as a channel to drain rain water. The drainage system does not function as water catchment because of changes in land use and spatial layout around the toll roads.
Jasa Marga operational director Subakti Syukur said that the first peak traffic of the New Year holiday took place on Jan. 1. At that time 53,331 vehicles headed toward Jakarta. This number was an increase from Dec. 31, 2019, which reached 36,765 vehicles.
Meanwhile on Jan. 2, the number of vehicles bound for Jakarta was recorded at 43,447 units. According to Jasa Marga data, approximately 63,831 vehicles are expected to go to Jakarta in the remainder of the holiday. (IGA)