Jakarta Slowly Creeps Back towards Choking Traffic as it Enters New Normal

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Jakarta’s notorious traffic snarls have been slowly creeping back as the capital experiences the gradual easing of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) 

The resurgence of traffic congestion is attributed to the Jakarta Provincial Administration’s delay in reinstating the odd–even policy to regulate traffic.

“The odd–even policy has not come into effect for cars or motorcycles,” said Jakarta Metropolitan Police spokesperson Sambodo Purnomo Yogo. “We are still awaiting Governor [Anies Baswedan’s] order to reinstate the policy.”

Sambodo added that the hours for the odd–even system is under the jurisdiction of the Jakarta Transportation Policy once the Jakarta Provincial Administration gives the go-ahead.

“The police will carry out the policy once it has been passed,” he said.

Also read: Jakarta to Reinstate Car Free Day

“We will deploy 1,728 men throughout Jakarta to regulate traffic during the second phase of PSBB. They will particularly focus on 410 traffic bottlenecks,” Sambodo noted. “They will be regulating traffic from six in the morning to 10 in the evening.”

Wait-and-see stance

Jakarta Transportation Agency head Syafrin Liputo said that the provincial administration is adopting a wait-and-see stance before applying the odd–even system.

“We are still evaluating the situation on the roads and traffic volumes throughout Jakarta during the second phase of PSBB,” he said. 

“The results of the evaluation will then be used to consider when and where to control the volume of vehicles so as to avoid gridlocks,” said Syafrin. “They will also be used as guidelines for the public to be used during this transition period to the New Normal phase.”

“The Jakarta Provincial Administration is still emphasizing limits on outdoor activities so as to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection,” he said.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has decided to extend the second leg of PSBB from June 5 to the end of the month. Held ahead of the New Normal phase, its implementation is marked by the loosening of socioeconomic and sociocultural restrictions.

Also read: Jakarta Governor to Further Regulate Traditional Markets

While the odd-even system was last applied to traffic before the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been applied to Jakarta’s traditional markets to reduce the possibility of Covid-19 infections.

The Odd-Even policy is the Jakarta provincial administrations most recent bid to control traffic in the capital, which has long been one of the worst-of-its-kind in the world before the Covid-19 pandemic. The gridlocks caused trillions of rupiah in lost revenue annually.

(Writers: Ruly Kurniawan, Rindi Nuris Velarosdela / Editors: Azwar Ferdian, Egidius Patnistik)

Sources:
https://otomotif.kompas.com/read/2020/06/15/140200115/jalanan-sudah-mulai-macet-kapan-jakarta-kembali-terapkan-ganjil-genap-. 

https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2020/06/15/14245041/1728-petugas-dikerahkan-untuk-atasi-macet-di-410-titik-di-jakarta.