Commuter Disruption Following Escalator Malfunction at Duri Station
An escalator at Duri Station, West Jakarta, suddenly malfunctioned, resulting in several injuries to passengers. As a consequence of the incident, KRL Commuter Line users have reported significant overcrowding and congestion.
The incident, which left dozens of people injured, occurred on Saturday (3/10/2026). As of Tuesday (6/10), the escalator remains closed as repairs are ongoing.
“We are working to optimise the repairs so that the escalator can be operational; however, we are prioritising safety and operational security, which will involve further inspections by the relevant authorities,” said Karina Amanda, VP Corporate Secretary of KAI Commuter, when contacted on Tuesday (6/10/2026).
KAI expressed its apologies as the repair process has caused queues at Duri Station. In the interim, passengers may use manual stairs until the escalator is deemed safe for use, while priority passengers can use the lift to access the platforms for the Tangerang line.
“Therefore, we have also deployed additional personnel to assist in managing passenger flow at Duri Station. Alongside the one inactive escalator, manual stairs and lifts are available for use,” she added.
Transit Volume of 13,000 People
Karina explained that the average transit volume at Duri Station exceeds 13,000 passengers. The technical team continues to carry out repairs to ensure the escalator returns to full functionality.
“KAI Commuter will also conduct a feasibility test on this escalator to ensure the safety of Commuter Line users utilising this facility,” she said.
“Regarding this situation, we express our apologies, especially to the users affected by the current condition of the facilities which are still under repair,” she added.
Commuter Crowding
A commuter, Dave, admitted that overcrowding persisted at Duri Station this morning because the escalator on Platform 5 remains out of service. Arriving at Duri Station around 07:20 WIB, footage from social media showed passengers arriving from the Tangerang line queuing extensively to change platforms or exit the station, with KRL officers reminding passengers not to push one another.
Dave noted that the situation on Platform 5 remained crowded this morning following Sunday’s incident. He observed passengers nearly falling while attempting to use the remaining functional escalator.
“People were scrambling to use the escalator; as seen in the video, some almost fell,” he said. He noted that many passengers are complaining about the situation, as the broken escalator remains non-operational.
Hopes for Prompt Repairs
A similar situation was observed during the evening rush hour. Passengers transferring towards Tangerang were seen using manual stairs, which were heavily congested.
“It is detrimental to customers. As users, even before the escalator failed, access was already quite difficult. Now that one escalator is out of service, it has made things extremely difficult for KRL users, leading to even more chaos,” said Ibnu (30), a commuter.
Platform 5 was visibly more crowded as passengers arriving from KRL trains had to queue longer due to the single inactive escalator. Passengers heading to the hall to transfer towards Tanah Abang or exit Duri Station had to take turns using the one working escalator.
He expressed hope that the escalator would be repaired immediately, noting that he had to readjust his travel schedule due to the longer queues. “Usually, I can catch a specific time, but now I am delayed by one schedule. Furthermore, the air becomes stuffy when it is crowded due to the density of passengers,” said Ibnu.
“I hope it is handled quickly. Additionally, the facilities at this Duri transit station should be expanded. Perhaps more access could be added, such as additional stairs or escalators, so there aren’t only two access points,” Ibnu suggested.
Another commuter, Marzuki (50), who has long used the Duri Station, also expressed frustration. “My hope is that it is repaired quickly. During morning peak hours, it is very crowded; people are jostling and scrambling to get through Duri Station,” Marzuki said.