Jakarta's Parking Emergency: Limited Land Turns Sidewalks and Roads into Victims

Amid Jakarta’s bustling traffic, sidewalks intended as safe spaces for pedestrians are gradually being repurposed as impromptu parking lots. Rows of motorcycles and cars fill the roadside, encroaching on road shoulders and blocking pedestrian paths, often causing congestion. Behind this chaotic illegal parking lies a long-standing unresolved issue: the limited availability of parking spaces in Jakarta. Many high-rise buildings, government offices, markets, malls, restaurants, and others lack sufficient parking areas to accommodate visitors’ vehicles. As a result, sidewalks and road shoulders become victims, forced to hold hundreds of private vehicles, both motorcycles and cars. The scarcity of land means illegal parking areas appear in nearly every corner of Jakarta. The restaurant’s yard often cannot accommodate customers’ vehicles. Consequently, the sidewalk, recently revitalised in 2026, frequently serves as a motorcycle parking area. Similarly, the road shoulder or cycle lane in front is often filled with customers’ cars at the seafood restaurant. Not only in front of the restaurant, customers’ cars can queue up to 50 to 100 metres long. The presence of cars on the cycle lane cuts about two metres from the road’s width, which is only eight metres wide. As a result, the always busy lane, traversed by various vehicles from Transjakarta, motorcycles, and cars, often experiences jams, especially in the evening. Even on sidewalks and road shoulders, parking fees in these locations are set. For motorcycles, it’s around Rp 3,000, while for cars, it’s Rp 5,000. Many eateries in the area lack parking spaces, so customers place their vehicles on the sidewalk. Illegal parking also proliferates behind Mal Plaza Indonesia (PI) on Jalan M.H Thamrin, Central Jakarta. Illegal parking here often makes Jalan Kebon Kacang behind the large mall even narrower, chaotic, and congested. One mall employee named Yani (31) admitted she has no choice but to use illegal parking because her workplace lacks motorcycle parking space. “PI doesn’t have motorcycle parking, does it? Motorcycles can only enter for deliveries or catering,” said Yani at the location on Monday night (11/5/2026). The fees for illegal parking behind the luxury mall vary. On the road shoulder, it’s Rp 8,000 per day. However, on private land, it’s slightly more expensive at Rp 10,000, equipped with CCTV. Sidewalks designed for maximum comfort no longer have space for pedestrians. Not only sidewalks, road shoulders also become victims to accommodate hundreds of vehicles, such as in front of Jatinegara Fish Market. Every night, the road shoulder in front of this fish market is filled with hundreds of parked motorcycles. Market visitors arriving by vehicle are immediately directed by illegal parking attendants to place their vehicles on the road shoulder.