SDA Jakarta Moves to Repair Lenteng Agung Road Collapse

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com — The Jakarta Water Resources Agency (SDA) has launched emergency repairs following the collapse of a section of Jalan Raya Lenteng Agung in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, which has caused significant traffic disruptions along one of the capital’s key commuter routes.

Authorities suspect the road collapse was triggered by damage to an aging drainage channel beneath the roadway, compounded by recent heavy rainfall. The incident left a large hole measuring approximately three meters wide and forced officials to restrict traffic flow toward Depok.

To secure the area, the SDA Agency installed temporary steel plates while preparing permanent repairs scheduled to begin on Friday night in an effort to minimize disruption to daytime traffic.

“We have implemented initial safety measures by installing temporary steel plates. Permanent repairs are being carried out at night so the work can proceed efficiently without causing major traffic impacts,” said Santo, Head of the South Jakarta Water Resources Sub-agency, on Friday.

The repair project will involve replacing the damaged drainage structure with a 16-meter-long concrete box culvert measuring 2 by 2 meters. Officials estimate the work will take around three days, depending on site conditions.

Santo urged motorists to exercise caution when traveling through the area and to follow directions from officers managing traffic around the repair zone.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure repairs are completed as quickly as possible while maintaining construction quality and public safety,” he said.

Traffic Congestion Worsens

The collapse has significantly affected traffic along Jalan Raya Lenteng Agung, a major route connecting Jakarta and Depok.

Video footage shared by the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Traffic Management Center (TMC) on Friday morning showed severe congestion near the site, where authorities had installed barricades, water barriers, and bamboo fencing around the damaged section of road.

Because the collapse occurred slightly off-center, only a limited portion of the roadway remains usable, creating a bottleneck for commuters heading south.

The South Jakarta Traffic Unit has temporarily closed two lanes heading from Jakarta toward Depok, leaving only a single lane available for vehicles.

“Currently only one lane remains open for motorists,” the Traffic Unit said in a statement posted on the TMC Jakarta Police X account.

Social media users reported traffic queues stretching hundreds of meters from the affected area during the Friday morning rush hour.

Damage Detected Earlier This Week

According to the South Jakarta Highways Agency (Bina Marga), early signs of the road failure were detected on Wednesday night after reports from residents and Public Infrastructure and Facilities Management (PPSU) officers.

Head of the South Jakarta Highways Agency, Rifki Rismal, said officials received reports that a section of the road surface had begun to sink and develop a deep cavity.

Because the report arrived late in the evening, authorities conducted a site inspection on Thursday morning and carried out temporary repairs using cold mix asphalt to improve safety for motorists.

“Thursday morning, our team immediately monitored the location and took follow-up action using cold mix,” Rifki said.

At the same time, the Highways Agency coordinated with the South Jakarta Water Resources Agency after initial assessments suggested the problem originated beneath the roadway.

Subsequent inspections revealed that the soil beneath the road had become hollow due to damage to the drainage crossing underneath.

“Field monitoring found that the condition beneath the road was already hollow and required serious repairs by the Water Resources Agency,” Rifki said.

Despite temporary repair efforts, the road reportedly cracked and subsided again on Thursday afternoon. Authorities then expanded safety measures by installing additional barriers around the area.

By Thursday evening, the road had collapsed further, widening across two lanes and triggering severe congestion that continued into Friday morning.

Officials said the Water Resources Agency will first complete repairs to the damaged drainage channel before the Highways Agency begins restoring the road surface.

“Once the culvert repairs are completed, Bina Marga will immediately proceed with road reconstruction,” Rifki said.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns about Jakarta’s aging infrastructure and the vulnerability of underground drainage systems during periods of heavy rainfall, particularly along heavily trafficked urban corridors.