Hard Work by Jambi Police Traffic Directorate Helps Ease Congestion on East Cross Route

The round-the-clock efforts of the Jambi Regional Police Traffic Directorate have successfully helped ease severe congestion on the East Cross Route (Jalintim) between Jambi and South Sumatra over the past three days and nights.

The Director of the Jambi Regional Police Traffic Directorate, Senior Commissioner Adi Benny Cahyono, reported that following his monitoring visit to the Jambi-South Sumatra border on Tuesday afternoon, traffic flow of homecoming travellers on the Jambi section of the East Cross Route heading towards South Sumatra appeared to have normalised.

“Alhamdulillah, from our monitoring throughout this afternoon, the homecoming traffic, particularly those using the East Cross Route from Jambi towards Palembang in South Sumatra, has begun to normalise. This situation is the result of the vehicle access opening and closing system we implemented,” stated Adi Benny Cahyono.

Adi Benny explained that to alleviate the congestion occurring on the East Cross Route in the South Sumatra region, the Traffic Directorate coordinated with all Traffic Units of Police Districts within the Jambi Regional Police jurisdiction. From Monday 16 March through Tuesday 17 March morning, they temporarily closed vehicle access for homecoming travellers and cargo trucks using the East Cross Route from Jambi towards Palembang, South Sumatra.

Specifically, homecoming vehicles from Jambi heading to Palembang, Lampung or Java were diverted and directed to use the Central Cross Route across Sumatra, via Sarolangun District in Jambi.

“This traffic diversion measure is a strategy to ease congestion on the East Cross Route across Sumatra, which experienced significant increases during the peak homecoming traffic period,” explained Adi Benny.

Previously, severe congestion on the East Cross Route across Sumatra towards Palembang, South Sumatra went viral on social media, with complete gridlock beginning Monday 16 March. Drivers complained of traffic at a standstill until their provisions ran out before even reaching their destinations.