Forum Geografi
Vol. 39 No. 3 (2025): December 2025

A Phenomenon of Disparity Between Regional Spatial Planning and Actual Land Use in the Citarum River Corridor, Indonesia

Iwan Setiawan (Department of Geography Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung 40111)
Dede Rohmat (Department of Geography Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung 40111)
Suhendro Suhendro (Department of Geography Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung 40111)



Article Info

Publish Date
02 Oct 2025

Abstract

The Citarum River in Indonesia is a sensitive and strategic area and is known as the dirtiest river in the world. The root of the problem lies in the existence of gaps along the corridor that are not subject to regional spatial plan (RSP). This study aims to (1) present empirical data illustrating these spatial discrepancies, and (2) analyse the underlying factors contributing to them. A spatial analytical approach was employed, integrating geospatial technologies and an Autel EVO 2 Pro V3 drone, alongside questionnaire surveys based on multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) (37 respondents) and in-depth interviews with local communities (35 respondents). The analysis of Sector 3 exhibited the highest disparity (49.85%) in gap area coverage, while Sector 1 showed the lowest (9.41%). A comprehensive investigation was conducted using MCDA to examine the underlying causes of these discrepancies. The findings indicate that economic, environmental and socio-demographic factors; public knowledge of RSP; the role of RSP; and community engagement with RSP are the root causes of the observed disparities along the Citarum River corridor (Sectors 1–4). We recommend aligning RSP with actual geospatial conditions; adopting adaptive zoning; enforcing laws; and enhancing public outreach for sustainable Citarum River management.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

fg

Publisher

Subject

Earth & Planetary Sciences

Description

Aim Forum Geografi is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing the field of geography by publishing original scientific articles on spatial issues. The journal prioritizes studies that employ rigorous spatial analysis and geospatial technologies—such as GIS and remote ...