Official start of coastal protection project Jakarta

Dutch consortium protects Indonesian capital against flooding

A major coastal protection project in Jakarta, Indonesia, officially kicked off on 9 October 2014. The first pile for a new seawall was sunk by Chairul Tanjung, Coordinating Minister for Economics, marking the start of work on the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) project, which is aimed at countering the effects of soil subsidence and rising sea levels. A Dutch consortium led by engineering and consultancy firms Witteveen+Bos and Grontmij prepared the master plan for this unique hydraulic engineering and urban development project. The urban design plan was created by design firm KuiperCompagnons, the economic feasibility of the project was analysed by the financial and economic consultancy firm Ecorys, and the hydraulic analyses were performed by research institute Deltares. Local partners are also involved in the project.

The project was made possible in part by the efforts of the Dutch government and water sector, who worked with Indonesian partners to develop solutions for the coastal protection of Jakarta. The master plan was drawn up with support from the Dutch government and the ‘Water Top Sector’ project. In 2013, the Dutch consortium was commissioned to prepare an integrated master plan for the protection of North Jakarta. The plan was to devote extensive attention to solutions to the city’s urban and socio-economic problems, as well as exploring financing options for the hydraulic engineering structures. The consortium recently delivered the completed master plan to the client. The sinking of the first pile marks the official start of the project’s first phase: the urgently required reinforcement of coastal protection. The existing flood defences in Jakarta are too low in many places: in October 2013 the sea water level was just 10 centimetres below the edges. North Jakarta has an average soil subsidence rate of 7.5 to 17 centimetres per year, presenting a major risk for the four million people living behind the flood defences.

Integrated approach
The consortium applied an integrated design approach to ensure Jakarta will remain protected in the future. Implementation of the plan will protect the city against flooding from the sea, both in the short and in the long term. In addition, the system of rivers and canals will be cleaned up, new traffic links will be created, and the city will be given an economic and urban development boost. A massive sea wall will be built in Jakarta Bay to ensure long-term protection against flooding. The new waterfront will be shaped like the mythical Garuda bird, the national symbol of Indonesia.

Unique in the world
The NCICD project is a world first in terms of scale and approach. The works are expected to take 30 to 40 years to complete. The entire plan consists of three phases: reinforcing the current sea wall combined with water treatment projects and revitalisation of the coast; construction of the Garuda-shaped seawall in the west, combined with a new city for 300,000 residents and 600,000 workers; and construction of an eastern seawall combined with a port expansion project and a new airport.

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Auteur: Redactie Infrasite