Jakarta Becomes Crowded Again, No Time for Commuters to Adapt

The roar of vehicles was nearly uninterrupted in the Pancoran area of South Jakarta on Thursday afternoon (26/3/2026). Traffic crawled slowly, filled with motorbikes weaving between cars that stopped and started alternately. Some drivers pulled over briefly, removing their helmets or taking a deep breath before rejoining the density. The city, which had been quiet during Eid, is now once again filled with the mobility of its residents. Private vehicle drivers, commuting workers, and public transport users are back to facing the same reality: long journeys and increasingly swollen travel times. When met in the Pancoran area, he had just pulled over after a long trip from the Pasar Minggu direction. He admitted that the first few days back at work felt heavier due to the traffic that quickly became congested again. “Usually after Eid, it’s still a bit quiet for a few days, but now it’s getting crowded so fast. Just started working, and the roads are already jammed everywhere,” Alwan told Kompas.com. The journey from his home in Depok to his office in Kuningan now takes nearly two hours. Whereas before Ramadan, the travel time was relatively shorter. “When it’s bad, it can be over an hour and 45 minutes. Now there are many congestion points, not just one or two places,” he said. As a worker with high mobility, this condition directly impacts his productivity. Meeting schedules with clients are often disrupted due to delays. To cope, he now leaves earlier in the morning and uses navigation apps to find alternative routes, even if it means taking longer detours. He said that the traffic density has been felt again since the morning.