Work on the Jakarta section is set to begin in September. The capital’s 19-kilometre stretch — expanded from an earlier 12-kilometre design — is expected to cost about $1 billion a year over eight years, with Jakarta asked to fund the segment because of its large regional budget.

President Prabowo Subianto revived the long-stalled plan last year by declaring it a national strategic project.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said the city “fully supports the project,” arguing that extreme flooding and seawater intrusion have left officials with limited options.

Sinking Indonesia

First proposed in 1994, the wall is meant to address a convergence of crises along Java’s northern coast: climate-driven sea-level rise, chronic land subsidence and decades of unchecked groundwater extraction that have caused parts of Jakarta and other cities to sink rapidly.

A 2023 study found that several northern Javan cities are subsiding at least nine times faster than the global average rate of sea-level rise, intensifying tidal flooding and erosion in densely populated coastal areas.

For the government, the wall will protect millions of residents and key industrial zones, ports and transport links that underpin Indonesia’s economy . 

Pramono said the Jakarta segment would use a hybrid design combining concrete structures with nature-based solutions, including mangrove restoration, to blunt waves and reduce erosion.

“Despite the name ‘giant sea wall’, I will still develop mangrove ecosystems along Jakarta’s sections of the wall,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Environmental groups remain unconvinced, however, warning that a massive barrier could disrupt fisheries, worsen ecological damage and serve elite economic interests. The Indonesian Forum for the Environment has called the project a “false solution” to the climate crisis.

Fisheries and marine science professor Yonvitner of Bogor Agricultural University said concrete defences were increasingly unavoidable, but stressed they would fail without ecological measures.

This drone christened ‘Nabh Rakshak’ has been built by Pisarv Technologies Company based in Indore in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. The company's Founder and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Abhishek Mishra claims that this is India’s first Artificial intelligence-enabled drone. 

“It boasts of 2 hi-tech cameras, as soon as one turns off the other camera takes over. Swift and automatic life-saving responses are possible as there is no need for a remote to fly it. It is equipped with a life-saving jacket, air balloon, and a thin rope,” said Abhishek Mishra.

The Nabh Rakshak drones will be deployed on all beaches of Goa, and river ghats (stairs) in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand where people take baths in rivers or other water bodies. 

The drones have already been incorporated by the Indian Navy for their various operations. Now in the central state of Madhya Pradesh also, authorities plan to employ this drone at strategic locations and a presentation is likely to be given to the government. Here this drone can be deployed on all big rivers and other water bodies including Hanumantiya, the largest water and adventure vacation destination in India, to save people.

On-board computer flies along with the drone

“A distinctive feature that sets Nabh Rakshak drones apart from other drones is that usually other drones fly but this drone has an on-board computer which flies along with it. This drone will automatically detect drowning incidents in the sea, river, pond etc and an alarm will trigger at the station based there, enabling rapid response to emergencies,” said Mishra.

Apart from detecting drowning people, another feature enables the drone to drop a life-saving jacket on the drowning person. A drowning person can swim comfortably in water for about an hour with the help of a jacket till his life is saved.

Inspiration behind drone’s creation

Chief People Officer (CPO) Roshni Shukla Mishra shared the inspiration behind the drone’s creation.

She recounted an incident where a boat capsized in a river in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

“The people sitting in it could be saved after a lot of effort. After this, the idea of making a device capable of saving people from drowning incidents struck her. As every year nearly 40,000 people in the country die due to drowning, the team at Pisarv Technologies decided to build a device to save people,” she said.

Drone will be useful in Kumbh Mela

Abhishek said that the drone would be very useful for the beaches of Goa to save lives during drowning tragedies.

“For this, talks were held with the government of Goa and an in-principle agreement was reached,” he said.

Apart from this, even when the Kumbh Mela will be held in Uttar Pradesh in the coming years, it can be used to control accidents. Kumbh Mela is a major pilgrimage and festival of Hindus but drowning accidents are also common as the festival is marked by a ritual dip in the waters.

The Indian Navy is already using the company's previous surveillance drone, 'Garuda', in surveillance areas. The installation of 'Nabh Rakshak' by the Navy in Koraput in the eastern state of Odisha was completed last month.

Fourth innovation of the company

Pisarv Technologies Company’s previous innovations include 'Saral' for children. It works on 3D Augmented Reality. The second one is 'Offline Codean Programs Solutions'. The third innovation is ‘Kawach’.

Kawach helmet by Pisarv Technologies is an innovative helmet for saving lives, prioritizing rider safety, and encouraging helmet use on the road. Now the fourth is Nabh Rakshak Drone which detects people in distress in water.

The first multi-specialty drone 'Garuda' was launched earlier which sounds an alarm as soon as there is a fire in the forest.