The scheme will also provide space for the construction of new homes and the improvement of infrastructure.
The plan, which has been produced with the help of the Dutch government, involves building a dam in the bay of Jakarta. The dam will consist of a series of interconnected islands. From the air, the islands and the sea dyke will look like the large mythical bird, Garuda. ‘The Great Garuda’ is intended to protect the city from being inundated by flood waters from the sea.
The Indonesian capital Jakarta is facing a number of problems. The Indonesian economy has been growing rapidly for years. Increasing urbanisation is putting considerable pressure on the drinking water supply. Instead of relying on a central drinking water supply, many inhabitants of Jakarta are illegally pumping up ground water. This has caused the land to subside. There are places in the city where the ground is subsiding by some 140mm a year. As the city lies on the coast, the risk of flooding is increasing.
During the rainy season, parts of the city are currently under water. Once the project is completed, this rainwater can be caught in the lagoons between the islands.
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