Alya Nurbaiti, Jakarta – State-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga will close the Jakarta-Cikampek II elevated toll road following the government's ban on the Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) to curb COVID-19's spread in the country.
The toll road operator said in a statement on Thursday that it had received a letter from the National Police's traffic corps demanding that the company close the toll road. Jasa Marga responded to the demand by coordinating with the Public Works and Housing Ministry, which has the authority to close off the road.
According to Jasa Marga, the elevated toll road will be closed starting Friday at 12 a.m. Meanwhile, the toll road underneath will continue to operate with some road blockings in several locations.
"Jasa Marga is ready to support the Transportation Ministry and the police by blocking several points on the toll road we operate," Jasa Marga spokesperson Dwimawan Heru said in a written statement on Thursday.
He also urged toll road users to obey the government's regulation to stay home and not to return to their hometowns.
Jasa Marga will inform the public of the road closure with road signs on Greater Jakarta toll roads and its social media account.
Millions of people return to their hometowns every year – often traveling from urban centers to the countryside – to celebrate Idul Fitri. However, with Jakarta being the country's epicenter of the virus outbreak, the huge number of expected travelers has raised concerns about mass contagion.