The city of Jakarta has been delisted from the top 10 most congested cities in the world. This needs to be followed up with more integrated and planned limitations for private cars.
By
Kompas Editor
·3 minutes read
Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan
Jl. Gatot Subroto and the toll road alongside it are deserted on the first day of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in South Jakarta on Friday (10/10/2020. PSBB will be in force for 14 days, until April 23, to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The city of Jakarta has been delisted from the top 10 most congested cities in the world. This needs to be followed up with more integrated and planned limitations for private cars.
The delisting of Jakarta from the list of the world’s most congested cities is surprising, considering the capital city of Indonesia has always been in the top 10 in the last few decades. The list is issued based on the Traffic Index of the global transportation statistics agency, TomTom.
This achievement is attributed to the imposition of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) throughout 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to TomTom, last year’s traffic jams in Jakarta were in 31st position. The percentage of congestion in Jakarta 2020 was 36 percent or 17 percent lower than the congestion rate in 2019.
TomTom noted that the most congested situation in Jakarta occurred in February 2020 at 60 percent. Since March, together with the first phase of the PSBB, the congestion rate has decreased significantly. The lowest percentage occurred in April, namely 11 percent. Congestion has increased again per May following the easing of the PSBB. However, the average percentage until December has never reached 40 percent (Kompas, 18/1/2021).
On the list of the world’s most congested cities, Moscow is at the top. Below Moscow are several cities in Asia, such as Mumbai (second), then Manila (fourth), Bangalore (sixth), New Delhi (eighth) and Bangkok in 10th position.
KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO
Residents are stuck in a traffic jam when passing Jl. Ciledug Raya, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, Wednesday (13/5/2020). The large number of residents working during the implementation of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) have caused a number of roads in Jakarta to remain congested in the morning and evening. The Jakarta Manpower, Transmigration and Energy Agency noted that there were 1,100 companies or offices in Jakarta that had violated the PSBB rules. Out of this number, 188 have been temporarily closed.
Jakarta has been battling traffic jams since the 1980s. According to Kompas coverage from 1986 to 1990, many news reports related to congestion in Jakarta, especially during floods. The solution at that time was to build overpasses and underpasses, as well as toll roads. However, obviously, the addition of roads cannot keep pace with the growth in the number of private vehicles.
In the 1990s, the three-in-one rule was implemented (one car requires a minimum of three passengers). However, what happened later, many car drivers got around the regulation by paying people to act as passengers. They offered their services on the side of the main roads.
While waiting for the pandemic to be completely resolved, this is the best opportunity for the provincial administration of Jakarta, along with the administrations in Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Bodetabek) to improve the lives of residents, one of which is by fixing the traffic.
Evidently, according to TomTom data, in February 2020 when we had not yet faced social restrictions due to the pandemic, the streets of Jakarta were still jammed.
Limiting the number of vehicles, currently with the odd-even plate rule, has also not been effective in overcoming congestion. Evidently, according to TomTom data, in February 2020 when we had not yet faced social restrictions due to the pandemic, the streets of Jakarta were still jammed. It is necessary to think about the best solution around this vehicle restriction.
Public transportation services, both Transjakarta buses, Commuter Train (KRL) and the integrated highway (MRT), also need to be optimized. This is important so that private vehicle users really want to "shift to" using public transportation.
If these problems are not resolved immediately, the opportunity to improve traffic in the Capital City in the midst of a pandemic will be wasted. If that happened, Jakarta would again be on the list of the top 10 most congested cities in the world. Let\'s prevent this from happening.
(This article was translated byKurniawan H. Siswoko).
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