DKI Jakarta Councillor Conducts Snap Inspection of Grogol Flyover Project, Highlights Minibuses and Lorries as Sources of Congestion
The construction of the Latumenten Flyover in Grogol, West Jakarta, has triggered severe congestion and widespread public complaints. The situation prompted DKI Jakarta Regional Council (DPRD) member Hardiyanto Kenneth, of the PDI Perjuangan faction, to visit the site in person.
The legislator, commonly known as Bang Kent, carried out a snap inspection after receiving numerous reports from residents complaining about traffic jams caused by lane narrowing during construction.
“Many residents have complained to me. This construction work is causing extraordinary congestion because of the road narrowing,” Kent said firmly in a statement on Monday (23 February 2026).
During his field inspection, the Commission C member of the DKI Jakarta DPRD discovered that Jalan Latumenten, which originally had three lanes, had been drastically reduced to just one active lane. This extreme narrowing has caused lengthy vehicle queues, particularly during the morning and evening rush hours.
Beyond that, Kent also highlighted JakLingko minibuses stopping immediately after the railway crossing. He noted that the stopping point is located in an area highly prone to vehicle build-up.
“The minibuses stop right after the railway crossing. This worsens the congestion. The stopping point should be shifted slightly forward past the bottleneck position, so that traffic keeps moving,” said Kent, who also chairs IKAL PPRA LXII of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas).
The congestion is further compounded by container lorries and large buses still using the now-narrowed road. Kent argued that during the construction period, heavy vehicles should be diverted to alternative routes to reduce the traffic burden.
“Container lorries and large buses are still passing through here. With only one lane remaining, this is clearly not ideal. I am asking the DKI Jakarta Transport Agency to find concrete solutions immediately,” he said.
The head of BAGUNA (Disaster Response Agency) of the PDI Perjuangan Jakarta chapter emphasised that strategic projects must not sacrifice the comfort and safety of residents.
“We all support the construction of the Latumenten Flyover because its aim is good — to ease congestion caused by the railway crossing. But the process must not cause daily misery for the public. There must be stricter traffic management, consistent on-site supervision, and swift solutions for heavy vehicles and minibus stopping points,” he stressed.
Kent also urged the Transport Agency to act quickly and not wait for the problem to worsen.
“If it can be anticipated now, why wait until it gets worse? I will continue to oversee this project until it truly benefits residents, rather than adding to the burden on the roads,” he concluded.
Separately, the Deputy Head of the DKI Jakarta Transport Agency, Ujang Harmawan, stated that his office had advised road users to seek alternative routes. However, regarding restrictions on heavy vehicles, the agency was still awaiting a decision from the Ministry of Transport.
“We will coordinate with transport operators in the western area. The provincial government has also written to the central government. We will provide an update in due course,” Ujang said.
The Latumenten Flyover project spans approximately 380 metres and is touted as a long-term solution to ease congestion caused by the railway crossing in the area. Once completed, Jalan Latumenten is planned to be used exclusively as a public transport access road.
However, before those benefits are fully realised, Grogol residents must contend with the bitter reality of increasingly uncontrollable daily congestion. Without well-planned traffic engineering and strict on-site supervision, the project intended to ease congestion risks becoming a new source of gridlock.