Floods in Kemang; Urban Planning Analyst Talks of Urban Development
Translator
Editor
23 February 2021 09:02 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Urban planning analyst Yayat Supriyatna argued that drastic changes in urban development affected flooding in Kemang, South Jakarta, at the end of last week.
Yayat recalled that around the 1970s, the region was originally a residential area. The rapid urban growth began as many expatriates rented houses and lived there.
“When many foreigners stay there, there is the growth of shops to support their presence,” said Yayat via a phone call with Tempo on Monday night, February 22.
According to him, the rapid development has resulted in many violations committed by developers. In 2010, he added, Jakarta applied an amnesty program for developers violating the regulations as noted in the city’s spatial plan.
At that time, more than 70 percent of the land in the region had been converted into commercial and service areas from previously residential areas.
Yayat underlined that the discipline of developers in complying with the building permits must be rechecked considering that Kemang is a water catchment area, classified as a high rainfall zone, and is close to a river named Kali Krukut. “Is the green area still maintained? Are the requirements for the construction met?” he said.
If the Jakarta provincial administration did not put in a great deal of effort such as carrying out river normalization, Yayat went on, floods will always occur in Kemang.
Also Read: Jakarta Floods Claim Five Lives, Says Disaster Mitigation Office
ADAM PRIREZA