A MASTER plan was put together in 1973. As the story goes, Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin planned to build water-receiving channels in East Jakarta. It was dubbed the Eastern Flood Canal. At that time, during the rainy season, rivers regularly overflowed. Many residences along the river would flood, and a canal would provide the perfect solution.

This canal would run through four major rivers (the Cipinang, Sunter, Buaran, and Cakung rivers). Overf