Jakarta Metropolitan Police to Seal Off 10 Thoroughfares

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Jakarta Metropolitan Police has announced that they will block off 10 roads in the capital, as the number of Covid-19 cases stood at 5,582 last Sunday, up from 4,895 the day before.

Jakarta Metropolitan Police spokesman Grand Police Commissioner Yusri Yunus said the policy will come into effect as of Monday evening, June 21. “The blocking off of the roads will take place for seven hours from 9 pm to 4 am,” he said, hours before the rule was enforced.

“The move is designed to limit individual mobility, which we found was one of the factors behind the surge in Covid-19 cases.”

Also read: Indonesia's Covid-19 Cases Surge Past the 2 Million Mark

The Jakarta Metropolitan Police will seal off the following roads:

Central Jakarta

• Jalan Asia-Afrika
• Jalan Cikini Raya
• Jalan Sabang

East Jakarta:

• The shores of the East Flood Canal (Banjir Kanal Timur)

North Jakarta:

• Kelapa Gading Boulevard
• Jalan Pantai Indah Kapuk

South Jakarta:

• Jalan Bulungan
• Jalan Gunawarman
• Jalan Kemang Raya
• Jalan Suryo

West Jakarta:

• The Old Town District (Kota Tua Jakarta)

Yusri added that the locales are selected, because they of their vibrancy.

"[The South Jakarta areas of] Bulungan and Kemang are known nightlife centers. They have more than their fair share of hip restaurants and cafes, which will inevitably attract crowds of people seeking a place to hang out,” he said.

Jakarta Metropolitan Police Traffic Director Grand Police Commissioner Sambodo Purnomo maintained that the policy will be enforced impartially, he admitted that a number of vehicles will still be exempted.

Also read: Indonesia's Daily Covid-19 Cases Approach 10 Thousand

“Online motor taxi drivers such as those delivering food or packages from Gojek or Grab can still go through, if they made clear to the enforcing policemen that the address they are heading to is in the area,” Sambodo said. “All they need to do is show officers where they are going on their application.”

“Local residents [of the sealed off areas] are just exempt, as are people from other parts of Jakarta who can prove they are going to pharmacies or hospitals in the area. Those who are staying at a hotel in the vicinity are also exempt.”

But Sambodo asserted that most vehicles that are exempt from the policy are those from the authorities, such as ambulances, the fire brigade, and police as well as military personnel.

The high mobility of individuals, particularly those who went home for the Eid al-Fitr or Idul Fitri holidays, is thought to be one of the factors behind a Covid-19 surge that saw the number of coronavirus cases rise above 2 million people nationwide.

(Writers: Muhammad Isa Bustomi, Wahyu Adityo Prodjo | Editor : Sandro Gatra, Egidius Patnistik)

Sources: 

https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2021/06/21/12472311/mulai-senin-malam-polisi-sekat-10-jalan-di-jakarta-pukul-2100-0400?page=all#page2. 

https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2021/06/21/22342801/10-jalan-di-jakarta-disekat-tetapi-ojol-masih-boleh-lewat?page=all#page2.