City to build utility ducts in S. Jakarta

JAKARTA. The city administration will build utility ducts the absence of which has contributed to street flooding.

Deputy Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said on Saturday that the city's drainage system was currently being used by utility companies.

"Almost all of our drains contain electricity, telephone and fiber optic cables as a consequence of which the drains have become clogged and water-flow capacity has been reduced," he said, as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

The construction of the utility ducts will start soon with South Jakarta as a pilot.

In the meantime, Ahok said, a special task force would be deployed to prevent and mitigate flooding.