Heru Yustanto, Bogor – The surge of tourists to the Puncak area from Saturday morning until noon has resulted in severe traffic congestion towards various tourist destinations in Puncak, located in the Bogor Regency of West Java. Despite the implementation of a one-way system towards Puncak, traffic jams persist along the 15-kilometer route.

Observations conducted by the Beritasatu.com team using a drone in the Megamendung area revealed thousands of vehicles lining up towards Puncak.

The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry reports that the anticipated volume of travelers on the Puncak route during the homecoming period and Eid holidays this year ranges from 140,000 to 160,000. This projection exceeds the road's capacity by four times.

Despite the one-way system from Jakarta to Puncak, these vehicles are moving at a slow pace, with cars averaging speeds of only 5 to 10 kilometers per hour. Similarly, motorcycles have to compete for road space to reach Puncak.

Meanwhile, other prospective visitors face a dire situation due to route closures resulting from the one-way system towards Jakarta. Take the case of Suratno, aged 50, leading a group of tourists from Kotabumi, Tangerang in Banten. Suratno, intending to visit the Gunung Mas Tea Plantation area, found himself halted at the Gadog intersection as the road was closed by the police at 11:30.

"I had plans to visit Gunung Mas for leisure, rather than staying idle at home," expressed Suratno.

Suratno acknowledged his predicament, admitting there was little he could do since he was ensnared by the road closure. Having been stuck at the Gadog intersection for over two hours, he resigned, saying, "Well, I'll just wait, perhaps until nightfall."

Hendi, aged 35, a visitor from Serang, Banten, shared a similar plight. Stuck in traffic for hours, he resorted to waiting. As a diversion, he snapped a photo with the police officers on duty during the Eid holiday. "Coincidentally, my child aspires to become a police officer. So, we took a photo together," Hendi remarked.

The Indonesian National Police Traffic Corps had previously anticipated that the peak of the return flow of Eid al-Fitr 1445 Hijriah would occur on Sunday and Monday. Travelers were advised to avoid this peak by returning earlier or later.

The police also urged drivers to assess their health condition and cautioned against driving if they experience reduced concentration or fatigue.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/eid-holiday-traffic-brings-gridlock-to-puncaks-scenic-rout