Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The difference in crossing traffic\nconditions during the 2026 Eid homecoming between the Merak-Bakauheni\nand Ketapang-Gilimanuk routes has drawn attention. On one side, traffic\nat Merak is observed to be relatively smooth, while on the other, long\nqueues stretching for tens of kilometres have occurred at Gilimanuk.<\/p>\n
This situation is not merely a matter of chance. The government\nassesses that there are structural and technical issues making the\ncapacities of the two routes unbalanced in handling the surge in vehicle\ntraffic.<\/p>\n
At Merak, the crossing system is more mature with the division of\nports based on vehicle types. Meanwhile, at Gilimanuk, the traffic\npressure is concentrated on limited facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe at Merak-Bakauheni have prepared four ports for crossings, so we\nseparate vehicles based on their categories,\u201d said Transport Minister\nDudy Purwagandhi on Thursday (9\/4\/2026).<\/p>\n
This scheme allows for more orderly vehicle distribution. Two-wheeled\nvehicles, private cars, to large trucks each have their own lanes,\npreventing mutual interference.<\/p>\n
In contrast, at the Ketapang-Gilimanuk route, infrastructure\nlimitations make traffic management more difficult. Vehicles of various\ntypes are still mixed in a single lane.<\/p>\n
The scarcity of supporting facilities is also a main issue,\nparticularly regarding vehicle holding areas before entering the\nport.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shortcoming at Ketapang and Gilimanuk is the lack of rest areas\nor buffer zones to accommodate vehicles if queues occur,\u201d said Dudy.<\/p>\n
As a result, when there is a vehicle surge, the queues are not\ncontained within the port area but spill over onto the main road. This\nis what causes the long congestion.<\/p>\n
In addition to infrastructure factors, major holidays also worsen the\nconditions. The Eid homecoming flow coincides with Bali\u2019s Nyepi Day,\nleading to a buildup of vehicles at the same time. This situation is\ncompounded by the continued operation of logistics vehicles that also\nfill the crossing routes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt that time, there was indeed density because one, there was Nyepi\nDay close to Eid al-Fitr, then the operation of large vehicles,\u201d said\nDudy.<\/p>\n
To alleviate the congestion, the government has taken tactical steps\nby prioritising small vehicles and passengers, while directing large\nvehicles to buffer zones. This measure is deemed effective in\naccelerating the movement of homecomers, although it impacts density on\nthe other side of the route.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, the government is preparing several improvements, from\nincreasing port capacity to optimising the ferry fleet.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will add docks, enlarge ships, and also request the addition of\nbuffer zones so that in the future, such density can be anticipated,\u201d\nsaid Dudy.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/transport-minister-explains-reasons-for-smooth-eid-return-flow-in-merak-congestion-in-gilimanuk-1775746261", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }