Bali Police Department's Strategy to Alleviate Severe Traffic Congestion to Gilimanuk Port
The Bali Police Department is implementing various measures to alleviate long queues of vehicles heading to Gilimanuk Port in Jembrana Regency on Sunday ahead of the Lebaran 2026 exodus period.
Kombes Pol. Soelistijono, Head of the Operations Bureau of the Bali Police Department, stated that all personnel involved in Operation Ketupat Agung 2026 are working around the clock to ensure the exodus traffic flows safely and in an orderly manner.
“The Bali Police Department, together with all stakeholders, continues to make efforts to alleviate vehicle congestion heading to Gilimanuk Port through various measures, ranging from traffic management and engineering to the implementation of a vehicle delay system,” he said.
He appealed to the public to remain orderly, follow instructions from field officers, and maintain safety during their journeys. According to him, cooperation between officers and the public is the key to ensuring smoother traffic flow amid the high mobility of residents ahead of Lebaran.
Long queues of vehicles occurred on the route to Gilimanuk Port on Sunday, with reports indicating queues stretching for tens of kilometres. This situation was triggered by the high mobility of residents wishing to leave Bali ahead of the exodus for Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah.
As a handling measure, he said, police personnel have been deployed at several congestion points to conduct traffic management and engineering along the entire route to the port.
The police also coordinated with relevant agencies to implement an Arrival-Unloading-Departure (TBB) pattern at Ketapang Port in East Java to accelerate the vehicle loading and unloading process so that ferries can return to operation quickly.
Additionally, vehicles with three or more axles have been redirected in the Denpasar, Badung Regency, and Tabanan Regency areas.
“These vehicles are directed to buffer zones to implement a delay system so that not all vehicles arrive at the port area simultaneously,” he explained.
Officers have also prepared parking areas to temporarily accommodate vehicles waiting for their turn to cross.
Regular patrols are conducted to prevent queue jumping, which could cause congestion and conflict amongst road users.
At night, police officers conduct patrols using motorcycles to awaken drivers who fall asleep whilst waiting in the long queues heading to the port.