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onstruction of a mega embankment to shield the northern part of Jakarta from tidal floods has stopped with the central government forced to reassess the plan after a scandal took place in the Jakarta Bay reclamation project.

The embankment, also known as a seawall, which will stretch 62 kilometers from Bekasi, West Java, to Tangerang, Banten, was initially planned to be built by the central government along with developers of artificial islets in the reclamation project.

But a corruption scandal earlier this year prompted the government to call for a thorough study on the reclamation project.

Public Works and Public Housing Ministry official T. Iskandar said out of all 62 km of the embankment, the government was only obliged to construct 16 km or 25 percent of it.

The government, he said, would rely on private entities to complete a major part of the plan.

Iskandar said the 25 percent was divided equally between the central government through the ministry’s Ciliwung Cisadane Flood Control Office (BBWSCC) and the city administration.

“Out of 8 km of our obligation, we have finished 4.5 km, located in Muara Baru and Kali Baru, [both in North Jakarta],” he said during a site visit in Muara Baru.

Iskandar added that the rest of the project would be completed by 2018.

The 62-km embankment to prevent tidal waves from the northern part of Jakarta is part of Phase A of the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) plan, also known as the Giant Sea Wall (GSW), initiated by then governor Fauzi Bowo in 2012.

While phases B and C of the project were being reviewed by the National Development Planning Body (Bappenas), phase A was still under development.

The embankment was required as the region suffers from severe land subsidence, reportedly five to 12 centimeters annually.

The embankment will improve on the existing one, as it would stand 4.8 meters high. The current one barely protects the residential areas near Jakarta Bay when tidal floods hit.

Iskandar said the agreement during the tenure of coordinating economic minister Chairul Tanjung was that the government would only contribute 25 percent while the remainder would be constructed by the private entities, especially the developers of 17 artificial islets, to complete the remaining 75 percent. It includes 714 meters for PT Agung Podomoro Land, which is the developer of Islet G and 1.4 km for PT Intiland, which is the developer of Islet H.

“The decision, however, was never formalized to become the legal basis,” he said, adding that there had yet to be a formal agreement for the private entities.

Iskandar said the decision to involve the private entities was because many sites for the embankment were in the form of land plots owned by them.

Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama has issued permits of five islets – F, G, H, I and K – however, the permit only stipulates that the developers must help building the embankment without any further details provided.

To add to this complication, due to the corruption case and protests by fishermen and activists, the project was halted and was being reviewed by the central government.

Acting Jakarta Governor Sumarsono, who joined the site visit, said the city administration was waiting for the central government to create a legal basis for the obligations of the developers.

“We hope in mid June, the legal basis has been set, so we can make the city level regulation,” he said.

He added that the city council already scheduled to complete the discussion of the bylaw drafts on reclamation and zoning for sea shores and small islands.